On The Other Side
by svenjen
Summary: Henry Prince is rebuilding the Charming Group of hotels in London. But he doesn't know that on the other side of the globe, Blair is raising their son while trying to fill the position of CEO at Bass Ind. So when their worlds collide, hell breaks loose! M/A
1. Chapter 1

**On The Other Side **

**Chapter 1**

**A/N: Warning: **Please note...if you are a die hard Jenny fan... you will hate what I do to her in this story, so think about it before you continue reading. Also, if you love Dan to death, how I portray him in this story will also likely piss you off ... And yes, they are somewhat OOC... But I don't care! So, you have been forwarned. Read at own risk... 'nuff said!

Also: Please let me know how/ if you liked this story... reviews are appreciated (even if it's only at the end of the story.) They let me know the story is still being read and enjoyed.

**XOXO  
**

**Chapter 1**

Jared Dalton shook his head in disbelief. But the figures in front of him didn't lie. The quarterly report profits were phenomenal! He didn't quite know how he managed it, but his young protégé had done it again!

The Dalton Hotel chain had been dying. A family owned business, the once successful chain of hotels hadn't seen a profit in years. He'd been close to letting the bank put it into receivership when an eager young man had applied for a position in his company.

"I can make you a profit," the young fellow had insisted. "If you'll only give me a chance."

Jared had his doubts. The fellow was so young and had no references on his resume. But there was something about him that Jared liked. The young man had gestational fortitude. He had guts! He also had faith in himself and his ability that Jared found endearing. He, himself, hadn't had faith in his own company for years.

And so without much hope for improvement, Jared had hired Henry Prince. He had, after all, nothing to lose by giving the boy a shot. "Twelve months," he had told him. "I'll give you one year to see what you can do. And if we see a profit, I'll give you a top position in the company."

It had taken a few months for the young man to get into the grove of the business. Henry had insisted that things had to change. Like the name of the chain, for example. Jared had first balked at changing the name. The chain, after all, had been in the family for years and was known as the Dalton Group. But Henry had insisted on that one change in particular as well as several other changes.

At first Jared had gritted his teeth. He didn't think the young guy had a clue at what he was doing, but he no other choice but to give him a shot. However, within a few months after Henry had implemented the changes, Jared began to see great improvement in the company. And before the year was out, The Charming Hotel chain was showing a profit for the first time in years.

Hell, even the cheesy slogan that his Mr. Prince had come up with had become a hit. 'It's Charming' was now a popular catch phrase heard around the city, thanks to the commercial that Henry had insisted they do to promote the company. Business was up and looking like there was no end in sight. And, if things kept improving, his chain was soon to go international.

It had been almost three years since he had taken Henry under his wing. The boy had saved his neck. After the first year, Jared had made good on his promise. Henry was given an executive position, a fine suite in the main hotel for living quarters and was now his right hand man.

Jared laughed as he looked at the numbers again. "Henry," he called. "The numbers are in. You need to come and see this!"

Chuck entered his boss' office with a smile. He had no doubt that things would be good if not great. "And?" he asked.

"And you've done it again! Just look at the profits we're showing! Good job, Henry!" Jared walked over to him and patted him on the back.

Chuck smirked. "Of course they're amazing," he said. "I keep telling you we make a great team!"

Chuck beamed with satisfaction. He had grown close to the old man, seeing him in almost a fatherly role. But, unlike his own father had done, Jared sincerely seemed to care about and respect him.

"Grab your coat, son. I'm taking you out for lunch!"

**XOXO**

On the other side of the globe, Blair was busy at home, trying unsuccessfully to mop water up off of the floor. "Dorota!" she cried. "He's done it again. I need you to help me so I can get Chase dried off and into bed."

"Coming, Miss Blair," her maid called as she hurried up the stairs of the Waldorf penthouse into the main bathroom. She shrieked as her feet hit the floor and she skidded through the puddle.

"Careful!" Blair cried as she helped stop the large woman from flying into the bath tub.

Dorota gained her footing and handed Blair a towel as Blair lifted the slippery child out of the water. "That boy is more like his father every day!" she quipped.

"Dorota!" Blair snapped. "Please! You know I don't want you to even mention that word around Chase!"

"Sorry, Miss Blair, but is true. Every day, Mr. Chase looks so much like him and as he grows he is acting just like Mr. Chuck did as a child….!"

"Dorota!" Blair hissed as she covered her son's ears. "Please!"

Dorota shook her head and began to mutter in Polish as she mopped up the floor.

Blair whisked her son out of the bathroom and dried him thoroughly before putting him into a diaper and some pyjamas.

"Mommy, no!" Chase wailed as Blair did the fasteners up on his diaper.

"Yes, Chase. You need a diaper for bed. Sometimes you still pee at night. You can wear big boy pants in the daytime, but until you stop peeing at night, you wear a diaper."

"But…., but Anna no diaper night," he argued.

"Anna is a big girl and uses the toilet if she needs to go pee at night, Chase," Blair explained. Dorota and Vanya's daughter, Anna often spent time at the penthouse. Dorota brought Anna with her to work, and they often stayed the night if Vanya was working the night shift. The two children had grown close. "When you stop peeing at night, you won't need a diaper anymore, either, ok." She wrapped her arms around her son and pulled him onto her lap for a cuddle. "I promise."

"I'm big boy," he insisted as he burrowed his face under his mother's curls and lay his head against her beating heart.

"You are," she agreed as she kissed his little head. "You're my big boy." Blair fought back the tears that always threatened to fall whenever her child positioned himself under her hair. The gesture was so like his father that it caused her heart to almost break. She held Chase close to her and rocked him for a few minutes until she felt him relax in sleep. Carefully, she lay him down in his big boy bed and kissed him on the forehead as she tucked him in. "I love you so much," she told him as the tears started to fall as they often did at night.

Chase was the spitting image of Chuck. Besides Blair's dimples, intelligence and the ability for early language, the child didn't seem to have any other of her features or traits. He looked exactly as Chuck had as a baby and as he developed, the mannerisms and hyperactivity of his father became more and more apparent in the tot. He drove Dorota crazy!

But to Blair, the baby was a constant reminder of the loss she felt for Chuck. It had been over three years since he had disappeared in Prague. Over three years since the bloodstained wallet had been found on the body of that dead man in the river. Over three years since he had been gone. And over two years that he had been legally pronounced dead.

But Blair had refused to believe Chuck was dead. Surely she would have felt it. Surely his spirit would have found its way back to her, had he been dead. But it hadn't. She felt nothing but emptiness in the place once filled by him in her heart.

Blair wiped the tears off her cheeks as she removed her blouse, wet from bathing their son. She stopped to finger the beautiful ring hanging on the chain around her neck. It had been discovered by police in a pawn shop. It was one on a kind, so had been easy to trace back to Chuck. Lily had insisted that Blair take it, as Chuck had intended on giving it to her the night of the incident.

But she hadn't wanted it. The ring was a reminder of what should have been before he had fucked the troll, Jenny Humphrey. But after Blair had found out that she was pregnant, she had agreed to take Chuck's ring, but would only wear it on a chain around her neck where it clung close to the empty space in her heart.

Blair sighed as she slipped on a loose sweater and headed downstairs into her office. She had an important meeting to prep for in the morning. But she really just wanted to go to bed.

**XOXO **

After their lunch, Jared had insisted that Chuck take the rest of the afternoon off, despite the protests from his protégé. The boy insisted on working seven days a week and often worked sixteen hours a day. He didn't know that Chuck hated down time. He didn't know that he had no family. He didn't know that he had no friends and no girlfriend. He didn't know that Chuck liked to work until near the point of exhaustion. And he didn't know that was because that way, Chuck wouldn't have the energy to think about her.

Chuck begrudgingly lay down on the large bed in the suite that was now his home and tried to catch up on some sleep. But as soon as he closed his eyes, his mind would go directly to Blair. He couldn't help but remember her smile, her smell and her taste. He couldn't help but remember her laughter and the way she could make him laugh. He couldn't help but remember how much they had loved each other. And he couldn't help but remember the look on her face when he had crushed her once more on the last day that he lived.

As the tears started to fall, as they often did before he fell asleep, Chuck cried out her name once more into his pillow. "BLAIR!"

**XOXO**


	2. Chapter 2

**On the Other Side**

**Chapter 2**

**A/N: Wow, great reviews. I guess you want more…..**

**XOXO**

Blair returned home to the penthouse after a long morning of meetings and writing reports. She'd made a deal after Lily had given her the title of CEO for Bass Industries that she would work at the office, mornings only until her son was in school full time. She would have refused the job completely if it hadn't been for the support of Dorota and Vanya.

But Lily had insisted and Blair realised that she may as well put her business degree to good use. She had spent her last three years in school working harder than she'd ever believed she would have to, to get her degree. There had been too much going on in her life at the time. It made learning too hard.

First, there'd been the pregnancy to worry about and then Chuck's alleged death to contend with, Then as a new mother she had to juggle classes and a heavy homework load on top of her parenting responsibilities. Then had come the reading of Chuck's will and the huge fiasco with Jack Bass. And then on top of all of that, Blair had to deal with a seriously broken heart and worrying about where Chuck was.

So she'd agreed to take on the responsibility and Lily was thrilled to have her join the company. If anything, Chase was the next Bass heir. She owed it to him to keep the business in the family until he was old enough, should he want it. And she'd do anything to keep Jack's hands off the company for her son's sake!

So she hurried upstairs to change into more casual attire. She and Chase were going to meet Serena in Central Park that afternoon.

**XOXO**

"Papa, Papa!" Anna cried as she ran and jumped into her father's waiting arms. Vanya lifted his daughter up and gave her a whisker rub, making the child squeal in delight.

Upon hearing the noise, Chase ran into the foyer, excited to see Vanya too. "Up, Papa," he pleaded, raising his little arms up to the man.

Vanya's heart went out to the little boy who clearly loved him as his own daughter did. He lowered Anna and picked up Chase, giving him a whisker rub too.

"That's my Papa," cried Anna as she began pulling on Chase's foot. "You don't have a Papa. He's mine!" she screamed.

Chase began to cry, not understanding what he'd done wrong and why his friend was being so mean to him.

Dorota took firm hold of her daughter and pulled her away from Chase's foot. "Anna, that is mean thing to say to Mr. Chase. You tell him you sorry right now."

"No!" screamed the little girl as her face became red and tears spilled over her chubby cheeks. "He's my Papa!"

Dorota sighed and began to talk to her daughter in Polish. She explained to the little girl that Chase was only a little boy and didn't know what a papa was. When the child asked her where Chase's papa had gone, Dorota sighed and told her to heaven. That was why she needed to be kind to him and let him share Vanya's attention.

Anna walked over to Chase and put her arms around him. "I'm sorry," she apologised. "You can share my Papa too."

"I'm so sorry, Vanya," Blair apologised with a newly forming lump in her throat when she got wind of what was happening with her son again in the foyer. She bent to pick up Chase who still had tears sticking to his long dark eyelashes and on his cheeks.

"Is no problem, Miss Blair," Vanya assured her. "They are just being children. Your boy is good boy."

Blair kissed the top of her son's head. "Yes, he is a good boy," she replied. She put him down. "Chase, we're going to see Aunt Serena, today. Show mommy how you can get your shoes out of the cupboard and on your feet all by yourself."

Chase squealed in delight as he rushed to the cupboard, tugged open the door and found his sneakers. He loved the park, especially the sand box. He ran back over to his mother and plopped himself down at her feet. His little hands worked away until he managed to slip his sneakers onto his feet. "See, see!" he shouted with delight as he proudly showed off his accomplishment.

"What a big boy, you are, Chase!" Blair praised. She squatted down and pulled them off to place the shoes on the correct feet. "Try to remember the sharp side goes on your little piggies," she told him as she tied his laces.

"Ok, mommy," he replied as he jumped up and took her hand. "I wanna go park!" he announced.

"Are you forgetting something, Chase?" Blair asked her son.

"Ok, mommy. Pee!" he replied as he ran into the main floor guest bathroom, whipped his pants down and sat on his potty, earnestly trying to pee before they headed off to the park. When he was done he got up and yarded his pants back up. "All done!" he announced.

Blair walked into the bathroom and checked. "Good boy, Chase!" she praised as she dumped the contents in the toilet and rinsed the little pot out and placed it back on the potty chair. "What do you do now?" she asked him.

"We wash!" he replied as he jumped up on his step next to the sink and washed his hands with his special soap and water. "All done!" he told her when he was finished.

Soon the two headed out the door and made their way to the park to meet Serena.

**XOXO**

Meanwhile on the other side of the globe, Chuck was just finishing up some important paper work at the office when Jared popped in.

"Hey, Henry. How'd it go over there today?" his employer inquired.

Chuck looked at the old man and smiled. "Jared, why are you working so late?" he asked. "You know the doctor told you to stop working late every night."

"Ahh, what's he know anyways? And what do I have to go home to anyways? An old cat and a housekeeper who's so deaf she doesn't even know when I'm there anymore. I want to know how the renovations are coming."

Chuck laughed. He loved this old guy. He was full of piss and vinegar! "Well. It's not quite in renovations stage yet," he explained. "They're still tearing down walls so they can restructure the building. You've got to appreciate the age of that building. If they're going to maintain the period features and the integrity of it, they have to work with kid gloves to do it right."

"Oh, I know how old that building is alright," Jared laughed. "That building was purchased over two hundred years ago by my great, great, great uncle. It was one of our first hotels. It was my father's favourite. My parents had their wedding reception in that hotel."

Chuck smiled. He loved to hear Jared talk about his family and the hotel business they had worked on for so many years. It kind of made him feel like he was a part of something special, like he wasn't so alone in this life.

"So what are you doing here on a Friday night anyways?" Jared asked. "You should be out on the town with the ladies, boy. A fine looking young fellow like yourself ought to have a few on the sidelines, right?" he laughed as he elbowed Chuck good naturedly in the ribs.

"I suppose," Chuck answered with an artificial smile. "But I wanted to get those documents in order for those investors you've arranged to meet next week."

"That's on Wednesday, Henry! You have plenty of time to get that stuff together. You're young! You should be out sowing your wild oats!" Jared laughed. "So, go on! Get out of here for awhile. And don't come back until Monday! I swear you work like the devil's trying to catch you or something!"

Chuck cringed and forced himself to laugh. "I'll see you Monday," he said as he grabbed his jean jacket off the hook in the corner of his office and headed for the elevator. Jared had no idea how close to the truth he actually was.

**XOXO**

"She's a lovely baby, Serena" Blair admitted as she handed the mewling infant back over to her mother.

"But she eats non stop!" Serena complained as she held the baby to her engorged breast. "I feel like a Jersey cow!"

"Better that than a Jersey girl!" Blair joked as she focused on the whirlwind that was her son in the sandbox. At the moment he was sitting with four other children, digging a hole to China. He was playing nice, as Blair put it. Something Chase seldom did.

"He's playing nice, today," Serena observed.

"I'm surprised, actually. He had a tough morning," she replied.

"Oh?"

"He called Vanya Papa today. And Anna had a fit," Blair stated as she fought off the tears that threatened to fall.

"She's just a little girl, B. You know she doesn't know any better," Serena told her.

"I know. It's just so hard to see him do it all the time," Blair said as tears dripped down her face. "I feel so guilty. It's not fair!"

Serena felt bad for her friend. She was aware that Chase had taken to calling every male in his life Papa. He wanted one like his friend Anna had, and he wasn't old enough to be told that his own father was dead.

But what really bothered her is that it was so hard on Blair. She knew that Blair refused to move on. She refused to believe that Chuck was dead. She wouldn't tell her son that his father was in heaven. All she told Chase, when he asked about having a father, was that his papa had gone away. And she wasn't sure when he was coming home. It broke Serena's heart to see her friend in such distress and denial over Chuck after all this time. She should get over him. Dead or not, the man had broken her heart and caused her more grief than anyone should every have to deal with. She just didn't understand how Blair could still be pining away for him!

"It'll be alright, Blair," Serena soothed as she lifted the sleeping baby up to burp her.

"I miss him, Serena," she cried. "I really, really miss him." Blair got up, wiped her tears and marched over to the sandbox as she saw the smirk forming on her young son's face. That look could only mean one thing- trouble! And sure enough, just before she reached him, Chase dumped a bucket of sand on a little boy's head that had taken away his shovel, making the blond boy howl in discontent.

"Chase!" Blair blurted out too late. "That wasn't very nice. You tell the little boy you're sorry."

"Mommy," Chase began to whimper. "He took my shovel!"

"Then you ask him nicely to give it back. We don't hurt other people. It's not nice. Now say sorry to the little boy."

"No!" he yelled as he flung the bucket at the kid and tore across the grass.

"I'm sorry," Blair apologised to the boy's angry mother as she gave chase after her own angry and upset son. It was funny, she thought, how befitting his name really was sometimes, and how very much like his father, the child really was!

After the park fiasco was dealt with and Chase had apologised to the little blond boy for covering him in sand and then hitting him with the bucket, Blair and Serena headed to a little shop for some tea and a snack for Chase.

So how's Dan holding up?" Blair asked her friend.

"I'm really worried about him. He was tired enough with me having the baby and all, let alone having to arrange for the funeral," she replied. "He's exhausted. It gives me a whole new appreciation for how things must have been for you after everything happened with Chuck. And I'm not even in school! It still blows me away how you managed."

"I managed, but it wasn't easy," Blair replied. That year had been hell! "But at least Dan still has family to help him get through."

"That's true. But he was really close with Jenny. And the way she died was just so gruesome!"

Blair grimaced. She had sincerely hated Jenny Humphrey, but her death really had shocked them all.

It seems that the little troll had continued her skanky ways throughout high school while in Hudson, and then again during her term at Brown. She liked to drink. She liked to do drugs. And she liked to take other women's men away from them, just to dump them when she'd broken the couple up.

Unfortunately for Jenny, she finally got herself involved with a guy whose girlfriend had a history of psychiatric disturbance. The girl had found out that Jenny was screwing her boyfriend and she had taken the situation into her own hands.

Jenny's body had been found by a homeless man out scrounging for pop bottles in the dumpster behind a 7-11 store in Providence. Her throat had been slit and her hair extensions had been torn off her head and stuffed in her mouth. It was an awful (but somehow fitting) way to go, and it had traumatised her family.

Jenny's parents, in particular, were so distressed that they couldn't deal with the process of arranging the funeral service, memorial and burial for their child. So the responsibility fell onto Dan's shoulders. Dan, who was already worn out from becoming a new father.

Blair hadn't known what to say about the whole situation. She hated Jenny. The little troll had bragged to the public about sleeping with Chuck and breaking them up. Then, after finding out that Blair was pregnant, Jenny had told anyone who would listen (and there were plenty) that the baby Blair carried could not possibly be Chuck's! She was almost satisfied that Jenny was so brutally killed. As shocking as it was, she figured the little bitch had probably gotten what she deserved.

And although Jenny's death was a pleasant surprise for her, she did sincerely feel sorry for her parents. Now as a mother herself, the horror of losing a child was unfathomable!

So out of respect for the Humphrey family, Blair had reneged on attending the funeral and memorial services for Jenny, stating her young son wasn't feeling well. But in truth, Blair knew she would likely have had a difficult time being appropriate and didn't want to upset the family should she get the giggles or worse. She didn't think they'd appreciate her putting the fun in the word funeral!

"So what's happening with Nate?" Serena asked, if only to change the subject.

"Ugh! Don't ask," Blair whined. Nate was another sore spot right now for Blair. "He's driving me crazy!"

"Oh, come on, B. It can't be that bad," Serena suggested.

"You know I love Nate, Serena. I really do. He's my friend. But I love him like I love truffles and kittens and warm socks in winter. And that's it. But he keeps pushing this relationship thing on me," Blair relayed. "And it just isn't going to happen!"

"Are you sure you don't want to give you guys another chance?" Serena pleaded. "Nate loves you! And you used to be so good together."

"Unckanate," Chase repeated. "Papa!"

"No, sweetheart, Uncle Nate is not your papa," Blair told her child as she kissed him on his ice cream smeared cheeks. "See! This is another reason I can't do this. Nate encourages him to call him that!"

"Would it be so wrong, Blair? He'd make an excellent father."

Blair stood up with a huff. "Enough!" she snapped at her friend as she gathered up her sticky son. Her friend was beginning to piss her off! "I need to get this little guy washed up and then home for a nap."

At the word nap, Chase began to struggle to break free of his mother's arms. "No nap!" he wailed as Blair took him down the hall to the bathroom to wash.

Serena shook her head. It all seemed so sad, she thought. Nate wanted desperately to make Blair his wife and adopt Chase as his son. He loved them both so much. He had been persistently at it since the child was born. But Bair continued to refuse. She didn't love Nate like that, and it wouldn't be fair to either of them if she married him, she said.

But Serena disagreed. She thought Nate was exactly what Blair needed to get over Chuck. And, for Blair's sake, she'd continue to push until it happened.

**XOXO  
**

Later, on the other side of the globe, Chuck was just getting back from another botched date. The girl was cute, but like all the other women he encountered, she wanted a boyfriend. A real relationship. And that just wasn't him. They'd had sex tonight and then when she whined about him not wanting to stay the night, he bolted. It was the same every time.

All Chuck was interested in from any of the girls he met was just sex. He told them that every time, and they'd go with him, then get all bitchy later when he tried to leave. He knew he could just hire a hooker. It would be so much easier! With the money he had been making the last couple of years, he had a substantial bank account. He could afford to get laid often. But that was money he was saving for something down the road. He just wasn't sure what that something was yet. Bottom of the line, he refused to waist money he had worked so hard to earn, especially on sluts.

Now, back in his suite, Chuck stripped out of his jeans and t-shirt and jumped in the shower, washing the girl's smell away from him, He couldn't tolerate anyone else's smell when he climbed into his bed. It interfered with his remembering how Blair had smelled. And that memory, unless he dwelled on it, was what got him through the night.

He put on his satin pyjamas, brushed his teeth, smoothed down his moustache and goatee and combed out his shoulder length hair. Had anyone from the Upper East Side seen him, they wouldn't recognise him in the least. He looked more like a Rufus Humphrey band loser than Chuck Bass. He nodded in content as he finished brushing out his hair. Good, he thought, it was exactly how he should look.

**XOXO**

**A/N:** Sigh, I'll try to prepare myself for the round of hate mail I am sure to get after killing off the troll again. Sorry, I really don't seem to be able to help myself! And, hey, for anyone who is now whining that my writing is immature and juvenile, that's fine. There are thousands of other stories to read on this site, so go ahead and read something else. I want to thanks to Gem15stone once again for that awesome way to kill the troll off. (If you haven't read it yet, fans helped me find 70 creative ways to kill her off…..and yes, that story is very inappropriate and immature, but was a fucking hoot to write! You might want to check it out. It is called (Of course) Jenny Humphrey must die!)

**Anyways, if you liked it and want more… please review. (I promise I wont kill off any other troll in this story…. Although I'm not sure what I did to get Eva out of the picture yet!)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**A/N: **Thank you for all the great reviews on this story so far... please keep 'em coming!

**XOXO  
**

"_Chuck!" Blair purred into his ear as she wrapped her arms around his waist from behind. She began to unbutton his pants until he whisked her around and pulled her close to him. He kissed her softly and she slid her tongue into his sensual mouth, causing him to groan. He snaked his hands down her back and then up her skirt, stopping to caress her wet center. He moved his mouth onto her neck, nipping gently at first and then sucking on a favourite spot. "Please I need you!" she cried, his hot mouth on her neck curving into a smile. But he vanished from her side, just like he did almost every night. "Don't leave me!" she cried aloud_.

Blair woke with a start, realising she'd been dreaming about him once again. She lay down and closed her eyes, wanting to go back to sleep, but she just kept seeing Chuck slipping away. "Where are you, Chuck?" she asked into the darkness. But like always there was no answer. She felt her throat thicken and her eyes well up, knowing she was going to cry again. "I miss you so much!" she whispered to the night as the tears began to fall.

Finally she got out of bed and went into the bathroom, needing to pee and wanting to wash the tears from her face. It was 2:00 AM. She sighed and crawled back into her lonely bed, fighting the urge to go and bring her son in with her.

It had taken ages to get Chase into his own bed and room at night. Only when he's been promised the new "big kid bed" like Anna slept in, did he willingly start sleeping on his own.

Blair had gotten him off on the wrong foot right from birth. She was so exhausted when she'd brought him home from the hospital, that she just kept him in her room in a bassinet until he was several months old, and then had moved him directly into bed with her. She refused to listen to Dorota's advice, finding that not only had it been easier to nurse him from next to her in bed, but also the closeness of his little body next to hers was comforting to her.

But it had taken months to break him of the habit. On occasion Blair still wanted to bring him into her bed and cuddle him. It just felt really good holding something that was half Chuck so close to her heart. But for tonight, she decided she should leave him be.

She finally got out of bed and popped her favourite movie into the DVD player in her room. Tiffanies had always had a soothing affect on her and she was able to finally fall asleep without thinking of him any more once the movie began.

**XOXO**

Meanwhile on the other side of the globe, Chuck was having similar issues with sleep.

_Blair walked up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist. She breathed against his neck. "Chuck!" she purred as her delft fingers began unfastening his pants. He whisked her around so she was facing him and planted his mouth on her full luscious lips, groaning as he felt her tongue slip into his mouth. He slid his hands down her back, slipping them under her skirt to feel the hot moist center between her legs. He sunk his teeth into her neck, sucking on the flesh that he loved so much. "I need you so much," she moaned against him, making him rock hard. But then she started to slip away from him, tears pouring down her face. "Don't leave me!" she cried and then she was gone._

Chuck jumped up in his bed, yelling, "Blair!" His heart was pounding a mile a minute in his chest. He was drenched with sweat and breathing rapidly. "Jesus Christ!" he said aloud. Tonight the dream had been more vivid than it had been in a long time. It was almost the same dream every time. And every time Blair would slip away again, crying that she needed him. He shuddered. He could swear he could smell her and taste her skin on his lips. He curled into a tight ball and fought the tears that always followed the dream. What he'd do to hold her in his arms once again! But he knew that would never happen. She hated him for what he had done to her. And now he was thousands of miles away.

**XOXO**

When he awoke later, Chuck showered and headed down to the hotel's main dining room for some breakfast. He ordered his regular poached eggs on whole wheat toast, juice and eggs and a large glass of milk along with his coffee. Ever since he had severely cut back on the drinking he found he actually had an appetite. He especially loved milk, for some strange reason!

After breakfast Chuck went into the office, despite Jared's suggestions that he take the weekend off. He hated the thought of being alone and would much rather work. Besides, he would prefer to have all of the financial reports in order for Jared's meeting next week. It was important for Jared to find supporters to invest in the company so the next phase of operations for the Charming group could start. They were going to go international. If the proper investors were found, both Jared and Chuck stood to make a fortune! It was exciting stuff!

For Chuck in particular, this was an important step. It meant that he could succeed in business without the support of Bass Industries. It meant that he could build himself up from nothing, just as his father had done. It meant that he wasn't the spoiled brat he'd been told he was throughout his life. But most of all, to Chuck it meant that he was worthy of something!

**XOXO**

Awhile later on the other side of the globe, Blair felt the bed move and then heard a little giggle as she felt Chase climb under the covers with her. He snuggled up against his mother's chest, under her curls and lay his head against her beating heart. Blair opened her eyes and looked at the clock. It was nearly 10:00 AM, way past the time she had wanted to get up. She wrapped her arms around her child and leaned down to kiss the top of his curly head, hiding under her hair. "Hey, monkey, why didn't you wake me up earlier?" she asked. "We need to go to Lily's for breakfast."

"Nanna?" he asked happily as he peeked outside of her curls.

"Yes, darling," his mother replied while giving him a big hug. "We're going to Nanna Lil's house."

A little while later Blair and her son went over to have their regular Saturday family breakfast at the Van der Bass Humphrey household. Lily had requested that after they all had breakfast, Eric could keep an eye on Chase for a little while, while she and Blair had a brief meeting in her office.

Normally Blair refused doing work on the weekend, preferring to spend that time with her son. But this time Lily told her it was important as something unexpected had come up.

"Please pass the ketchup," Dan asked Blair as he dumped pepper all over his eggs.

Blair shuddered, knowing the sight of ketchup on his eggs would likely make her gag. "Really, Humphrey," she sneered. "Could you at least pretend to be civilized at the table? You know that grosses me out."

Dan looked at her and scowled. He threw his napkin onto his plate and snapped at her as he rose from the table. "Fine!" he squawked. "I know when I'm not wanted!"

"Good," mumbled Blair under her breath.

"Dan!" Serena, remarked as her husband began to leave the dining room. And then she turned to Blair. "Really, Blair! Why do you need to be so snotty to Dan all the time? He's a member of this family now!" She got up from the table to follow her husband.

"I'm just trying to teach him some basic cultural norms, Serena. It's not my fault he grew up on the wrong side of the bridge!"

Dan over heard the remark and flew back into the dining room. He was angry.

"Did it ever occur to you that some people just might get insulted when you make derogatory comments about their family and their upbringing?"

"Not at all," she quipped back at him. "I was merely stating a fact. If you're going to live in the Upper East Side, you may want to learn the social etiquette, especially now that you have a child to raise."

As Blair was lecturing Dan, she failed to notice the smirk forming on her own child's face as he began to stuff an incredible amount of scrambled eggs into his mouth. He suddenly turned and looked up at Dan, then quickly smacked both of his hands to his cheeks, exploding eggs all over Dan's face and body.

"Ka-boom!" Chase yelled and he clapped his hands in glee at the result of his bomb.

Blair, Lily and Eric each covered their mouths, trying hard not to laugh at the sight in front of them. Serena stared in horror as Dan grimaced and removed egg particles from his face.

"Before you criticize the behaviour of others in the future, Blair, you may want to look at your own illegitimate son, first!"

"Dan!" Serena, Eric and Lily stated at the same time.

"How dare you!" Blair yelled. "This is a little boy you're speaking of, Dan. A child! You have no right to speak of my son in that fashion!"

"I'm sorry," Dan apologised in a snotty tone as he glared at Blair. "Of course he's just a child. It's not his fault. It's his father's rotten genes he inherited, after all. So his mother ought to be the one who's ashamed of that, not Chase!" And with that, Dan barged out of the penthouse, not even waiting for his wife and baby.

"Wow, I don't think I've ever seen Dan so pissed off before!" Eric exclaimed as he looked in awe at his adorably devilish nephew who was now using his empty juice glass as a steam roller to flatten the remainder of his breakfast.

Chase frowned and stopped his play to wipe the remaining egg particles off of his mouth. "Where's Papa?" he asked his mother, noting with dismay that Dan had left, and sensing it was because of him.

Hearing the word papa coming from her son, combined with Dan's outburst, caused Blair to break down and flee the room in tears.

"Just another pleasant Saturday at the Van der Bass Humphrey house!" chimed Eric as he got up from the table to release his nephew from the booster chair and take him to wash.

"Uncaeric, Papa!" Chase said as Eric picked him up. "Am I bad boy?" he asked, as he looked sorrowfully into Eric's eyes and patted the area over his heart.

Eric looked at his little nephew and hitched his breath as he realised it was like looking into the eyes of his dead step brother. He swallowed a lump in his throat and kissed the little boy on his forehead. "No Chase," he explained. "You're not a bad boy, you're just a typical Bass," he told him as he set him down.

"I'ma Bass! I'ma Bass! I'ma Bass!" shouted Chase as he tore down the hall to the bathroom.

**XOXO**

Once Blair had settled after the Dan incident, she met with Lily in her office.

"I need you to go to an investment meeting in London next week for me, Blair," she announced as she passed her a large folder. "We're considering partnering with a small hotel chain that has made some surprising financial gains in the last two years. They want to go international and are hoping that we'll be able to back them."

"But Lily, You know I don't want to travel until Chase is older. I don't want to leave him," she argued.

"I know. And I'm sorry, Blair, but I can't go this week. I have to support Rufus in the preliminary court proceedings regarding Jennifer's death."

Blair was pissed. More Humphrey bullshit! "But what am I supposed to do about Chase?" she asked. "We've never been separated for more than a few hours!"

"Perhaps Serena can take him," Lily suggested.

"Not after the way that trailer trash husband of hers talked about my son!" she blurted. There was no way in hell she wanted Dan near him after that!

Lily cringed. She had to admit, Dan's words had been pretty harsh, but she knew it was likely the stress of his sister's preliminary murder trial coming up, and not the child himself. However, Chase's resemblance and similar mannerisms to Chuck freaked more than a few people out, Dan being one of them. "Perhaps you're right," she admitted "With the trial and their new baby, Chase would probably be too much for them to handle."

"See, and I can't leave him with Dorota and Vanya, either," she argued. "Vanya's parents are here from Russia and Dorota's so tired already with the new baby coming and with Anna.

"Well, what about letting him stay here with us?" Lily pleaded. "I know Eric would love to have him around, and you know how much Chase loves Eric. Eric's doing most of his course work at night, and I can take him then. That should work! And it'll only be for a few days. I really need to be with Rufus. Please, Blair," she begged. "You know you're the only one I trust to handle these types of deals."

"Fine!" she grumbled. "But I'm not going to do another one until Chase is older. And I'm not happy about it, ok!" she agreed with dismay. Blair knew in her heart she would miss the little boy who resembled his father so much, something fierce.

**XOXO**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Jared picked Blair up at the airport in the afternoon, around 4:00 PM London time. She was exhausted from her long flight and needed to shower and rest for a few hours.

"Thank you for picking me up Mr. Dalton," Blair told Jared as he escorted her from the baggage claims area to the limo he'd hired for them.

"It was my pleasure, Mrs. Humphrey," Jared said as he relaxed into the buttery seats. "I trust your flight went well."

"Actually, I'm Ms. Waldorf," Blair corrected. "Mrs. Humphrey was unable to attend for personal reasons."

"I apologise then, Ms. Waldorf," Jared said with a red face. "I'm so very pleased to have your acquaintance, then. I'm hoping your flight went well."

"It was fine, thank-you. The Bass jet is excellent, but I wasn't able to sleep much. I'm pretty tired right now," she admitted.

"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that, my dear. I hope you're not ill."

"Not at all, thank-you. I'm fine," she reassured him. "I'm just missing my son. It's my first trip away from him and I'm a bit worried."

"That's quite understandable. Any mother would feel the same way," he supported. "Ah, we're coming on the hotel now," he said as they approached the beautiful old building.

Blair sucked in her breath. The ancient building was breathtaking in a fairy tale sort of way. The architecture was superb, she noted. "It's beautiful!" she told him.

After Jared had told her a brief history of the building and shown her to her suite, Blair called Lily's to check how Chase had done on his first night alone without his mother. Eric informed her that the child had slept well, but when he woke up that morning, Chase was in bed with him along with a dozen plastic dinosaurs and a ridiculously large dump truck.

Blair was relieved to hear her son was happy, but was a little upset that he hadn't seemed to miss her. However when Eric put him on the phone, he babbled on about everything Papa-Uncaeric was planning on doing with him that day. He was especially excited about going to the zoo to see the elephants. He finally told her, "I love you, mamma," and then hung up.

Feeling more relaxed about her son's wellbeing. Blair showered and then lay down for a nap. A few hours later she rose and got dressed to go down to the hotel's main dining room. Not only was she starved, but eating there gave her the opportunity to check out the standard of service the Charming Hotels provided.

She wasn't disappointed. The service was excellent and the food was as good as what she was used to having in the higher quality restaurants at home. As a matter of fact, her experience in the hotel so far had been very pleasant indeed.

After dinner she decided to return to her room to review the file she would need for the meeting tomorrow with Jared and his staff. She took the elevator up and had just gone down the hallway to her rooms when the second elevator dinged and someone else got off.

**XOXO**

Chuck was pooped! He had spent a long day at the construction site of the hotel they were renovating and then had gone into the office to make sure that the files and his presentation were ready for the meeting tomorrow. He now just wanted to shower, order in an early dinner, and go to sleep.

He was feeling really agitated for some reason that he couldn't explain, and it was driving him nuts! He thought it was likely because Jared had requested he clean himself up a bit so that he was more presentable than his usual overly casual self. He knew how to dress for a meeting, but he didn't want to be told to shave. Instead he trimmed himself up neatly and would wear his hair in a neat ponytail in the morning to please his boss. But he still needed to look like Henry Prince, not Chuck Bass!

As he got off the elevator, he stopped dead in his tracks at the smell that lingered in the hall. It was eerily familiar to him. His eyes whipped down the hall just in time to see a woman entering the suite directly beside his. He only caught the back of her, but she had almost waist long curling hair of a deep chestnut color. He felt his stomach lurch at the sense of familiarity about her, combined with the familiar scent, but then shook his head feeling surely he was mistaken.

He followed the fragrance down the hall, almost in a trance, the butterflies in his stomach doing overtime! He was temped to knock on her door, but realised the inappropriateness of it, so he refrained. He hesitated a moment longer and then entered his own suite in a daze.

It wasn't her, he told himself. She was thousands of miles across the ocean living her life away from him…just like she wanted to. He went into his bathroom and began to shower in dismay.

**XOXO**

On the other side of the wall, Blair shut the door and then froze as an eerily yet familiar sensation crept over her. She felt compelled to go out into the hall, as if someone had just called her name. But she thought that was just silly, there was no one who she knew anywhere near here.

She slipped on her nightie and slid into bed with her files to review the information for the meeting that was scheduled for the next day. But for some reason she couldn't identify, she was having difficulty concentrating tonight. Finally she just put her files away, covered herself up and tried to go to sleep. She lay there thinking about her son and how much she missed him.

She began to think of how difficult her pregnancy had been. She hadn't even realised she was pregnant for the longest time because she spotted for the first few months. She thought she was having her period. She only found out she was pregnant when she began to experience frequent dizziness. She had had no morning sickness, yet she was often nauseous without apparent reason. She began to lose weight, without dieting. When she passed out a couple of times for no apparent reason, Serena had taken her to the doctor for an examination. By then she was well into her second trimester of pregnancy, already at sixteen weeks.

She'd known it had to be Chuck's child. She hadn't shared her bed with anyone else! But as stressful and upsetting as the reality of the pregnancy was, it was little compared to what happened next.

A few days after her positive pregnancy test, a man's body was found washed up on the shores of a river in Prague with Chuck's bloodstained wallet in his pocket. After DNA testing in USA labs, the blood was confirmed as belonging to Chuck Bass and he was presumed dead by police.

Then when the news of Blair's pregnancy became known, the troll, Jenny Humphrey had gone public about her having sex with Chuck in the spring. She swore Blair's unborn child couldn't possibly be a Bass. Blair was publicly humiliated with the scandal. Things were so bad she seriously considered withdrawing from Columbia. The stress she was under was phenomenal.

Her friends suggested she get an abortion. There were private clinics that would perform abortions right up to the eighth month, Serena informed her. But the very thought appalled Blair. Not only did she consider abortion wrong, but this was Chuck's child she was carrying. And, despite how angry she was at Chuck for what had happened between them, she still loved him and could never kill his child.

In addition, Blair refused to believe Chuck was dead. And not one other person supported her theory that he was either hurt or hiding. She hired private detectives to look for him in Prague, but nothing turned up until the ring was discovered in a pawn shop. When it was returned to Lily, Blair stopped looking. By then she was so distraught, she began to experience severe cramping in her lower belly. When her doctor told her she needed to reduce her stress levels, or she'd likely miscarry or go into premature labour, Blair stopped looking for Chuck and arranged to take her course work from school home until after the birth.

Over the next few months, Lily and Eric became her biggest allies. They were both thrilled that a part of Chuck would live on. Lilly made sure she was eating properly and seeing the doctor and Eric was a constant companion to her. Without their support, Blair had no doubt that she never would have made it through the pregnancy.

She had no other real support. Her own mother had disowned her because of the scandal her pregnancy caused, and Harold was too involved with his law practice in France to be of much help. Serena was hung up on her two on again off again boyfriends and thought she should either abort or put the baby up for adoption. Nate also thought she should get rid of the child, and was too busy with either Serena or with whoring it up with Chuck's little black book, to pay her any attention.

And then there was Jack, who showed up on the scene after Chuck was legally pronounced dead, to try and woo her. When he'd realised Blair would rather drive bamboo spikes through her eyes than even look at him again, Jack decided to challenge her in court for Chuck's estate instead. The estate had been left solely to Blair, and Jack wanted it along with the position of CEO at Bass Industries.

Jack never stood a chance in court. Blair inherited the estate, with Lily keeping a partnership in Bass Industries. Lily remained in charge until after Blair completed her degree. Then she had Blair take over as CEO. The entire ordeal had been a horrific experience.

Blair cringed. She couldn't think about it any more. Now she'd have to try and fall asleep with a headache. She turned her thoughts to other, more pleasant things and soon fell asleep.

But her dreams came fast and were unbelievably vivid and soon had her in distress. "Chuck!" she finally cried out in her sleep as his image slipped away from her once more. "Don't go. Please…., I love you!

**XOXO**

On the other side of the wall, Chuck was having difficulty sleeping himself. The smell of Blair seemed even stronger in his mind than it had in a long time. It made him both restless and horny. Even after relieving his aching loins, he couldn't get the thought of her out of his head.

He tried reading, but couldn't get into the book. He tried watching TV, but couldn't concentrate on any show. Finally he just crawled into bed, hoping that sleep would come.

But he couldn't get the thought of Blair out of his head. His thoughts then turned to the the woman in the hallway. She seemed to haunt him, too. From behind everything about her looked like Blair. Her size and shape were the same. Her style of dress and shoes were the same. And although the woman's hair was longer than Blair's had been, the richness of the color and the gorgeous curls were similar to the hair he used to love running his hands through.

Chuck's mind went into overdrive as it flipped back and forth between the two. He mostly thought of the woman he had lost in New York years ago. He groaned from the overwhelming sense of loss that enveloped him as it always did when he thought about Blair. He sobbed like a child into his pillow as he held it against his body until he was worn out and finally began to fall asleep. But just as he drifted off, a noise suddenly woke him again.

He sat up confused, his heart racing a mile a minute. Chuck could have sworn he heard Blair crying out his name, just as he did in his dreams. Yet he'd not been asleep long enough to actually have been dreaming. He got out of bed and put on his robe, going onto the balcony to see if there was something going on outside. But he couldn't see or hear anything out of the ordinary.

Then he checked in the hallway. At first nothing seemed wrong, but as he turned to go back in his suite, he thought he could hear a soft sobbing sound coming from the room next to his. He stopped and listened for a moment, but the sound slowly died out.

Chuck felt his heart jump and his stomach lurch. He stood aghast in the hall, not knowing what to do. The woman in that room had surely been crying. Not that a crying woman was concerning for him, but the familiarity of this particular cry had him upset. He had an overpowering urge to knock on her door, go in, and comfort her!

He shook his head and told himself he was being ridiculous. He finally returned to his room and tried his hardest to fall asleep.

The next morning, after getting next to no sleep at all, Chuck rose early to prepare for his meeting. He put on his sharpest suit and shoes, tied his hair back neatly and headed out the door. He didn't have time for breakfast as he had to go and check an important delivery at the hotel they were having renovated, before the meeting.

**XOXO**

After her nightmare, Blair struggled for most of the night trying to get even just a little sleep. It was hopeless! She finally got herself up and showered once more so that she could begin to prepare for her meeting that morning. She headed down to the dining room for some coffee, yogurt, and a fruit cup before the car arrived to pick her up.

"Good morning, Ms. Waldorf," Jared said as he showed her into the luxurious board room. "We may as well begin, if you don't mind. Henry will be along shortly. He's put together a presentation for you that I'm sure you'll appreciate. The boy is a wonder, really," he explained. "I've never seen anyone with such a gift for detail and perfection as his. I credit him for our success. And I assure you he's on his way. He had to inspect a delivery at our newest renovation site."

"That's fine," Blair replied with a smile as Jared spoke fondly of his protégé. "We can go over some of the financial details from our end then, if that's alright."

Jared nodded his head. "That's fine, Ms. Waldorf," he said as began to look at the information and figures Blair had brought along.

**XOXO**

Chuck cussed the crazy London drivers that seemed to have clogged every artery of traffic in the city this morning. London had even worse drivers than they had in New York! He looked at his watch and snapped at the cabbie to get moving, he was already running late.

Once he made it to the block Chuck flew into the office, stopping only for a moment to put on a tie, smooth back his ponytail and grab his laptop.

"Looking good, Mr. Prince!" Margaret, the pleasant middle aged secretary, complimented. "Don't you clean up nice!"

Chuck laughed. "Thank-you Margaret," he replied. "Are they in the boardroom already?"

"They are, Mr. Prince. And the lady he's meeting with is a real beauty," she informed him.

"Ok, thanks, Margaret," he laughed as he opened the door to head in. Margaret's idea of real beauty was probably as far from his as could be!

Chuck entered the board room and stopped short at the sight of chestnut curls cascading over the side of the woman's face at the table.

"Henry," Jared said, "Please come in and join us."

I'm sorry I'm late," Chuck apologised as he came closer to the table.

At the sound of his voice, Blair's head snapped up in alarm and she looked at him.

Chuck's heart stopped. "Blair!" he gasped.

Blair looked at him in shock as the reality of the situation dawned on her. She stared at him in disbelief. "Chuck?" she replied.

Chuck was in shock! "Oh my God!" he stammered. The color immediately drained from his face and he felt he would surely pass out. He panicked. He honestly didn't know what to do. So he turned and fled the room!

"Henry!" Jared cried in disbelief as his young protégé left abruptly. He couldn't believe what the man had just done. "I'm so sorry!" he apologised. "Henry's not like this. Something must be wrong. I'll go see what's going on," he stated. But then he stopped as he realised that Blair also appeared to be in a state of shock. "Ms. Waldorf. Are you alright?"

Blair was as white as a ghost and tears were brimming her eyes as she realised Chuck was alive. "Henry, was it?" she asked with a trembling voice as she stood from the table and began to collect her papers back into her briefcase.

Jared nodded with concern. "That's correct," he replied. He was surprised to see tears begin to spill down her face "Are you alright Ms. Waldorf?" he asked again with concern.

"No," she answered. "I'm far from alright. That man's name is not Henry," she relayed as she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "His name is Chuck Bass, and he's supposed to be dead!" And with that she marched out of Jared's office and left the building. She had to get out the hell out of there fast!

**XOXO**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**A/N: **Well it's good to know that reader interest is still there, so thank you for letting me know. I sincerely need that support as an incentive to keep going, otherwise my motivation spirals fast! One person, however, said I should not go too much longer on this one or it will be boring. I appreciate the honesty!

**XOXO**

Jared stormed into Chuck's office and slammed the door. He took a moment to compose himself before he started, afraid he was going to blow a gasket if he didn't. He looked over at Chuck who was pacing back and forth, one hand raised to pinch the area between his eyes. "Henry, can you please tell me what's going on?" he asked.

"What is Blair Waldorf doing at that meeting?" he asked.

"So what she said was true?" Jared asked. "You are Chuck Bass."

"I asked, what is Blair Waldorf doing here this morning?" Chuck demanded.

Jared was more than a little taken aback at the tone of Chuck's voice. "She's the CEO for Bass Industries. Mrs. Humphrey was unable to attend for family reasons," he replied with restraint. "Henry, or should I say Chuck, what in the hell is going on?"

"I can't talk about this right now," he blurted as he walked past Jared and headed into the boardroom. "I need to see Blair!"

"She's gone," Jared informed him. "She left the boardroom almost immediately after you did." He sighed as he looked at Chuck, who was now dumbstruck as he stared into the empty boardroom. "I'm trying to be patient here, Henry. Please tell me what's going on. That was an important meeting in there you just blew out of."

"Where did she go?" Chuck asked as he totally ignored Jared's question again.

"Probably back to the hotel to pack and leave," he sighed. "She's probably going to head home to her children now and that will be the last of her. I guess we'll have to find another investor."

Chuck was stumped. "Did you say she had children?" he asked in alarm.

"Yes, when I picked her up from the airport she said she was worried about her child or children or whatever. It's the first time she said she's been away from them."

Chuck was shocked. So Blair had moved on and started a family with somebody else, he thought. The thought tore his heart out, yet that reaction startled him. He wasn't supposed to care anymore. She'd made it clear years ago that they were done. "Where's she staying?" he asked his boss.

"She's in the suite next to yours," he replied.

Of course Chuck thought. The fragrance in the hall. The appearance of the woman last night. His general agitation (they'd always seemed to sense one another's presence). And then the sound of her crying in the hall last night. They had all been familiar to him, but he'd chosen to ignore what his subconscious mind already knew.

And she'd been crying last night? He wondered what was wrong. He'd always hated to hear her cry, although he was often the cause of it! And how/ why was she CEO for Bass Industries, he wondered. All of a sudden Chuck's world crumbled around him as his past burst forward to reclaim him.

He had to see her before she left, if anything just to plead with her to keep his secret. He could never return to being Chuck Bass again! He headed out the door in a hurry.

**XOXO**

Blair hurriedly packed while the tears streamed down her face. He was alive! After all of this time, he had been alive and hiding in another country! She didn't know whether to be happy or sad about it. Chuck was alive! Her son's father was alive!

She had always known on some level that Chuck couldn't be dead. She was sure a part of her would have known about it. But as each year slipped away, it seemed harder and harder to hang onto her faith. On one level she had wanted him to return to her and be a part of her family. But on the other side of that want came the realisation that he'd likely only hurt her again. And more importantly, he'd likely hurt their child too!

She thought about the meeting that didn't have a chance to happen because he'd run away. She couldn't believe he had run off like he did again! It was humiliating! And the realisation that he was using an alias to hide out in a foreign country away from his loved ones and her, hurt her. He had deliberately let everyone at home believe he was dead! Had he no concern over how the people at home had grieved over his disappearance and death? Had he no concern about how his disappearance had torn her apart!

She took off her outfit and lay it on the bed, remaining in just her slip as she headed into the bathroom to wash and then pack up her toiletries. She needed to change into travel clothes and head to the airport as soon as possible. She only hoped the Bass jet would be refuelled and ready to go. She hadn't been able to contact the pilot to let him know that her plan's had changed.

**XOXO**

Chuck slid the hotel's master key card into the lock of the door for Blair's suite, and slowly entered the room. Her fragrance stopped him dead. He didn't see her, but noticed the almost packed suitcase on her bed. So she really was leaving!

He walked over to the bed and ran his hands along a satin nightgown, closing his eyes as he remembered how this same material had covered her creamy skin. It had felt amazing under his fingers. He sighed and picked up the flimsy garment, holding it up to his nose and inhaling her scent, locking it in his mind forever.

Blair walked out of the bathroom and almost bumped into him as he smelled her slip. His presence startled her. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

Chuck looked at her in awe. He would never have believed it possible for her to become even more beautiful than she used to be. But, even with the tears that were still rolling down her face, she was. "Why are you crying?" he asked.

She looked at him as if he had grown another head. Was he kidding? "Why do you think I'm crying, Chuck? Or should I call you Henry now?"

He winced. "Blair I….."

"You what, Chuck?" she snapped. "You forgot who you are? You forgot where you live? You forgot your family? You forgot me?"

"I could never forget you," he admitted. "Never!"

The tears were now pouring down her face. She brushed past him and put her toiletries bag in her suitcase. "Forgive me if I don't believe you," she said in a voice no louder than a whisper.

He stepped toward her and hesitated a moment before reaching out to place a hand on her shoulder. "Blair," he said. "I could never forget you!"

She shrugged his hand off her shoulder. "You could have fooled me," she bawled. She dug through her suitcase and found a comfortable skirt and blouse and then she tried to brush past him to go back into the bathroom to change.

But he wouldn't let her past.

"Let me go!" she snarled as she tried to go around him.

He caught her in his arms. "No," he said as he pressed her against his chest and wrapped his arms around her.

"Let me go!" she wailed again as the tears fell harder and she struggled against him. "Please just let me go!"

"No," he said softly as he held her tighter and buried his face under her curls, against her neck. He held her like that until she stopped struggling against him.

When she'd settled he pulled away from her just enough to look at her closer. He kept his hands on her lest she try to get away again. He looked at her as she stared at the floor, afraid to see him. His eyes scanned her body and he noted that she appeared healthier than when he'd last seen her. He body was more womanly and less like a teenager's. She looked fantastic.

"You're beautiful," he said to her. "I never thought I'd see you again," he admitted.

"Why didn't you come home, Chuck? They all think you're dead," she choked.

"Good. That's the way it's supposed to be," he admitted.

She raised her eyes to connect with his, making him gasp at their depth. "But why? I don't understand!"

He shook his head and released her. "You told me we were through and you didn't want to see me ever again. I figured I'd hurt you enough so I should honour your wishes."

"So you faked your own death? Do you know how hard this has been on your family?"

"I don't have any family," he replied. "After I lost you, I had no one else left."

"You still had Lily. You still had Serena and Eric and you still had Nate. They all believe you are dead!" she exclaimed. "Chuck, it was hard on everyone!"

"But I didn't have you. Nothing else mattered. And so I had to go."

"But why did you have to fake your death? You could have just moved elsewhere as Chuck Bass! It's been over three years, Chuck! And everyone believes you're dead!" she cried. "Your wallet was found on some dead man in a river in Prague. I know you're crafty, but even that would have been hard to arrange."

He sighed. "I didn't arrange it. I was mugged. It must have been one of the muggers," he said with a smirk, glad to know at least one of them was dead.

"Mugged?" she gasped.

"Yes. There were two of them. They jumped me in an alley in Prague. I was really drunk. They took my wallet and …," he stopped, choosing not to mention the ring. "I tried to fight them off and then I got shot."

"Oh my God!" she cried. "You were shot?"

"Yes." He lifted his shirt and showed her the fading scar from the bullet wound. "I was left for dead. A hooker passing in the alley found me and somehow managed to get me some help. She nursed me back to health. But the wound must have become infected because it was several weeks before I really gained consciousness."

"Did you have amnesia?" she asked hopefully as she laid her hand on his scar.

His body shivered against her touch, sending electricity coursing through it. "No," he continued as he shook his head in shame. "I was afraid of anyone knowing who I was. I couldn't go back to the United States. Not after what had happened between us. You didn't want to see me again."

"Chuck…," Blair began.

"No, it's alright," he said with a sad smile. "What I did to you was terrible. I needed to leave you be. So I took on another name, and as soon as I was capable, I left the city and eventually made my way to London. Jared took me into his company and I've been with him ever since," he explained. He put his hand on his belly over top of hers. "I never meant to hurt anyone. Especially you," he admitted.

She looked into his eyes again and nodded her head. "I know," she confessed. "I was really angry and hurt after you slept with Jenny. But I never wanted you to go away for ever."

"You didn't?" he asked in disbelief.

Blair shook her head. "No," she said. She lifted up the chain with his ring on it from where it lay against her heart. "And I never believed you were dead. I…, I just didn't feel it."

He felt a lump building in his throat and swallowed it. He couldn't believe she had his ring. He reached out a finger to touch it as though to prove it was real.

"The police found it in a pawn shop," she said. "Lily insisted I take it," she admitted. "I hope that's alright."

He nodded his head and then reached out to pull her back against his chest again. "It was supposed to be yours," he said.

She lay like that for a moment in his arms, memorising the feel of him into her memory bank. And then she pulled away, feeling her heart would surely break if she didn't. "I need to get going, Chuck," she said. "If you want, I won't tell anyone you're alive. Tell Jared to fax the papers to me at Bass. I'll make sure I sign them," she said.

He looked at her in disbelief and reached out to take her hands in his. He had so many other questions to ask her! But maybe, he realised, it was better this way. "I can't believe you're leaving," he said.

"I…., I have to go," she replied.

He frowned remembering all of a sudden that Jared had informed him she had kids. A family. He swallowed the lump forming in his throat, knowing that he was the cause of her moving on and finding someone new. "That's right, you have children, don't you?" he asked.

"You know about my son?" she asked in horror.

"Jared told me," he admitted. "Only one, then?" He looked down at her hands but noticed her ring finger on her left hand was empty. He wondered who the bastard was who would get her pregnant and not marry her! But he tried to put it out of his mind. It really wasn't any of his business.

Blair swallowed hard, pulling her hands out of his as she looked away from him. "Yes, Chuck. I have a son." She was afraid of saying anything more. If he didn't want to be a part of his friend's and family's lives, she wouldn't force him to be a part of her son's life, either. And although it broke her heart, Blair knew she now must tell Chase that his father was in heaven, just like Chuck wanted people to believe. She turned away as the tears started falling again. Chase would never know his papa after all. She closed up her suitcase and then slipped into the bathroom to touch up her makeup and finish dressing. She expected him to be gone when she came out, but he was still there.

Once again he held her in his arms and put his face into her neck. "I'll never forget you," he whispered into her ear. "Never."

"I think you should come home, Chuck," she whispered back, giving him the option to reconsider. "We miss you. But if you really don't want to come back, I'll respect that and refrain from saying anything to anyone," she told him.

He nodded his head as he pulled away from her. "Thank you," he said.

Blair picked up her case and headed for the door. "Oh, and Chuck….," she said before she left.

He looked up at her. "Yeah?"

"Lose the facial hair and the ponytail. You like Jack did in the eighties!"

She could still hear his laughter as she walked down the hall.

**XOXO**

**A/N:**

If you liked it and want more, please review!

Now I know I'm going to have people screaming that Chuck has the right to know about his kid. And, maybe he does…. But if he is insisting on being someone else, then being Chase's papa won't work. Blair also thinks Chase needs protection (sometimes having no dad is better than having a bad one). It would be too hard on her boy to want a relationship with Chuck if he wasn't stable enough to be there for him. So…. yell at me if you want. But as a mother myself, that's the way I see it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Jared stood stone-faced looking in disbelief at his computer screen. Chuck's past splashed before his eyes. Ms. Waldorf had been right! His protégé was the one and only (supposedly late) Charles Bass! He should have known that Henry was too good to be true. The boy seemed to have hotel business in his blood!

He looked up when he heard a knock, and the door opened as Chuck entered.

Chuck was at a loss for words to say to his employer. He'd really just wanted to stay at the hotel and hide in his room all day, but figured Jared might not be too impressed by that. As it stood, Chuck was sure Jared was going to fire him and he'd have to start all over again!

He entered the office and plopped down on a chair opposite his boss. "I suppose you'll be wanting an explanation," he said.

Jared nodded his head, purposefully remaining calm. "That would be nice."

Chuck cleared his throat before he began. "First of all, Blair, I mean Ms. Waldorf, said if you faxed her the paperwork, she'll back the company."

"Thank you," he replied with some relief. "And…?"

"And I'm sure you want me to clear out my desk and leave." Chuck stood up to go. "I'm sorry, Jared," he said as he headed to the door.

"Stop right there, Charles!" Jared growled. "First of all I have no intention of firing you at this time. And second, you owe me an explanation and I would like it now!"

Chuck cringed at the tone of the man's voice, visions of Bart swirling in his head. He felt like a teenager again in trouble with his dad. And on some level, he knew that type of treatment was certainly justified considering what had happened in the board room earlier. He sank back into the chair and sighed, putting his face in his hands. "Where do you want me to start?" he asked.

"How about you share with me about your relationship with Ms. Waldorf first, and then take it from there," Jared stated firmly. "And then I am dying to hear why Bartholomew Bass' son is working in London for a second rate hotel chain under the name of Henry Prince!"

**XOXO**

A little while later, on the other side of the globe, Blair was anxiously waiting to clear customs so she could rush over to Lily's and get Chase. She had missed him terribly and desperately needed to feel her child in her arms once again.

It had been a long teary flight with her spending the majority of it thinking about Chuck. He wasn't coming home again. Ever. Blair had never fully grieved for Chuck before because she denied believing that he was dead. Some part of her always thought he would return to her. They were suppose to be inevitable. He had to return. But now that she knew he had a whole new life without her, she began to feel like he was gone forever. It broke her heart all over again.

And the worst part of all was that he hadn't cared how the people that knew and loved him the most, had suffered over his death. He hadn't so much as inquired as to how any of them were doing. He didn't know that Nate was doing a Master's Degree in Political Science. He didn't know that Lily and Rufus were still together and happier than ever. He didn't know that Serena had finally settled down and married Dan, and he didn't know that she had suffered horribly without him as she tried to raise their son alone.

She was relieved to finally get through customs, and immediately surprised to see that Eric had brought him to meet her at the gates.

"Mommy!" Chase shouted enthusiastically as he dodged other weary travellers to get to his mother.

Blair picked him up and spun him around once in the air before holding him against her chest. "Oh, sweetheart. I missed you so much!" she told him as even more tears started to rain down her face.

Eric smiled in greeting. "I thought we should possibly come and meet you," he informed her.

"Thank-you," she responded as she cuddled her son. "I missed him so much,"

"I can tell by the tears!" he replied, although he could sense a deep sorrow in her along with the joy of seeing her child. "Is everything alright, Blair?" he asked suspiciously.

Blair wiped her eyes and put on a false smile. "Of course. I'm fine. It was a long flight and I really did want to see my boy again," she lied.

"You sad, mamma?" Chase asked with concern as he noticed Blair wiping her eyes.

"No, baby. Mommy just missed you so much. Were you a good boy for Nanna Lily?" Blair asked.

Chase looked down and scowled. "Papa Ruff-Ruff mad at me."

Blair looked at Eric, "Why is Rufus angry at Chase. What happened?"

"Well, you remember that beautiful Rolex he loved that mom got him last Christmas?" Eric asked with a twinkle in his eye.

"Yes…."

"Well Chase flushed it down the toilet this morning and Rufus went berserk!" Eric explained. "Chase walking around for about an hour repeating 'all gone' until Rufus figured out that he meant the watch."

"Oh dear!" Blair gasped knowing how much Rufus loved that watch. "Chase, what did mommy tell you about the toilet?"

Chase thought for a second and then smiled. "We wash when we finish, Mamma!" he replied.

"And…?"

He thought again for another moment and then burrowed his head under his mother's curls. "And we don't put things in'na toilet," he said sorrowfully.

"That's right, Chase. So now we have to get Rufus a new watch, ok? Please try and remember no more things in the toilet, ok?" she said as she kissed the top of his head.

Chase looked up at her with big, apologetic eyes. "Ok, mommy," he said earnestly and he raised his head up and put a big sloppy kiss on his mother's mouth. "We go home now, ok?"

**XOXO**

Chuck was absolutely exhausted by the time he plopped himself into bed that evening. He had spent several hours explaining his story to Jared. In fact, he was more open than he thought he'd ever be able to be with anyone besides Blair, telling the old man almost everything.

Jared was very disturbed to learn Chuck's story. Chuck had told him about the great love he had found in Blair and how his issues dealing with relationships had continually sabotaged their love until he had destroyed her three years ago.

He told Jared about his childhood. How a dead mother, an absent father, and no boundaries had turned him into a spoiled brat who had no respect for anyone. He told him about the alcohol, the drugs and the prostitutes that served as a substitute for love. He told him about running away to Prague after breaking Blair's heart, the mugging, and how he lived with a hooker in a slum in Prague, until he was well enough to head out on his own again.

And then he told him how he had come to London with nothing but the clothes on his back, and how grateful he was to have been given a chance. He owed Jared his life, he confessed. The old gentleman had given him a chance to learn about hard work, self respect, and integrity. For the first time in Chuck's life, he had felt like he was worthy of being respected himself. And he owed Jared an apology for making him lose faith in him earlier.

Jared had sat and listened in awe while Chuck told his story. He ignored the tears that fell and the anger that so desperately needed to be released from the young man. When he was finished, Jared put his arms around Chuck and hugged him. He told the boy to go back to the hotel, have some dinner and take the rest of the day off. They would talk more in the morning, after he'd had time to process everything.

But once in the hotel, Chuck's mind started racing. He couldn't stop thinking about Blair and how only a few hours before, he had been holding her in his arms once again. She had told him to come home. They missed him. But he hadn't asked if she had missed him too.

In fact, he hadn't asked her hardly anything. And there were things he wanted to know.

The questions kept swirling around in his head. Why was she the CEO of Bass Industries? Had she inherited his estate? Was she still involved with the baby's father. Who was he, anyways, and why wasn't she married to him?

He tried to think about who Blair may have become involved with after he had left. He suspected Nate. The blond athlete would have been there to support her after Chuck had crushed her years ago. Was Nate the father of the child?

The thought made him nauseous. Nate had been his friend, but he had never really been capable of loving and treating Blair the way she deserved to be treated. Then again, he thought with a wince, neither had he.

If Nate had fathered the child, why didn't he marry her? Were they even still together? Blair was all about tradition. Chuck couldn't see Blair putting up with any man who would father her child, but not marry her. Family was just too important to Blair.

He was tempted to turn on his computer and dive into Gossip Girl. He was sure that the answer to most of his questions would be there, if only he looked.

But he had made a promise to himself that he would never inquire about the people from his past. He would never again cruise Gossip Girl for information or news about his former friends or family. And he would certainly never look into any possible gossip about his former love.

As the hours flicked by on the clock, Chuck came to the conclusion that he should just forget all about her. That had been his original plan. She was a part of his past that should never be resurrected.

**XOXO**

On the other side of the world, Blair had just finished reading her son a bedtime story. It was time to tuck him into his big boy bed and kiss him goodnight. She pushed his shiny red fire truck (his newest obsession) up behind his pillow and kissed him tenderly on the forehead. She let her fingers gently brush his curling hair back off of his face for a moment, as Chase began to drift off to sleep. She gazed into his face as more tears began to fall, and visions of Chuck washed over her mind once again. Finally she lay down beside him and pulled him in against her chest, needing desperately to hold on to the only part of Chuck she would now ever have.

**XOXO**

The next morning Chuck headed to the hotel they had under renovation to see how things were shaping up. He stayed there until a little past lunchtime, avoiding Jared for as long as possible. After coming clean to him yesterday, he was now embarrassed to face his boss today. He wasn't looking forward to whatever conversation Jared would surely insist on them having. He really had no idea what he was in for!

Jared had spent the better part of the previous evening on the computer gathering whatever information he could about Chuck's past. He had been amazed to read about the scandal and devastation that had plagued the boy's youth. He was shocked to find out about what he had done to Blair during his last year on the Upper East Side. It was no wonder she had dumped him!

As he read on, his curiosity about Blair grew as well. He began to follow the threads on her and almost had a heart attack when he discovered that Blair's son had been fathered by the 'Late Charles Bass'! He read about the scandal surrounding the pregnancy that Jenny, the troll had caused, insisting that Chuck could not be Chase's dad. He read about the DNA testing that was done using the genetic data filed from Chuck's medical records in the past.

He read further about how Blair had had to fight off Chuck's lecherous uncle who had failed once more at wooing her, then instead had challenged her in court for Chuck's estate. He read about Blair's hardships as she struggled to raise her son and continue with school while she grieved over losing Chuck. He read about her loneliness and refusal to date other men, including one by the name of Nate Archibald, who wanted to make her his wife. And finally he read about how Blair Waldorf had teamed up with Lily Bass against Chuck's uncle once more, as they fought to keep Bass Industries for the sake of Chuck's son.

Jared was blown away! Blair Waldorf, he decided, was one hell of a woman! And he'd be dammed if he was going to let Chuck give her up again!

**XOXO**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**A/N: **Thanks once again for those of you who take a moment to review. I do appreciate it.

**XOXO**

Chuck headed into Jared's office, a little apprehensive about what Jared might possibly say to him today. It had been a rough night and he wasn't sure he could handle much more.

"You look like crap!" Jared told Chuck as he walked across the room and plopped into a chair.

"Thanks," he replied. "It was a rough night."

"I bet!" Jared had no doubt that Chuck would have gotten little to no sleep after the day he'd had yesterday.

"They started to install those beams this morning. The refinishing turned out beautifully!"

"That's great, Henry…. or should I say Charles, or…. Just what am I supposed to call you now anyways?" Jared asked in frustration.

"Henry. You should still call me Henry," Chuck replied.

Jared sighed and shook his head. "Why do you insist on keeping that facade going?" he asked.

Chuck blushed. "I can't go back," he admitted. "And if I start going by my real name again, I'll never be left alone."

"Do you know exactly what you've given up?"

"I don't care about the money or the company any more," Chuck snapped, wishing Jared would just mind his own business. This was pissing him off! "I'm happy enough with what I have here!" he grumbled. He got up, intending to leave and go into his office to do some paperwork.

"Sit down, Henry," Jared said rather firmly. "I'm not done!"

Chuck sat down and sighed, burrowing his head in his hands again. "What else?" he said.

Jared looked at him firmly. "I wasn't talking about you giving up money or a business!"

"Then what? I have nothing else to possibly go back for."

"You're wrong, Henry," Jared stated. "There's a woman who loves you more than anything else in the world back there."

"You mean Blair? You don't know anything," he snapped. "Blair has a boyfriend, some bastard that knocked her up but couldn't be bothered to marry her."

Jared grimaced. He didn't think it was his place to tell Chuck that he was the bastard himself. It wasn't his place. "Henry, that woman has been struggling without you for the last three years," Jared informed him.

"What do you mean? And how would you know that?"

"I researched both of you last night. Do you know that your horrid uncle has been after her for years? He's been relentless!"

"Jack was after her?" he asked in alarm. "For what?"

"Well according to Gossip Girl, he's been trying to date her for starters."

Chuck shuddered. The thought of Jack near her, let alone touching Blair, repulsed him. But then he remembered back to the time she had slept with Jack that New Years when he was all doped up in Bangkok. Maybe she had sought comfort in his arms and slept with him again after Chuck disappeared in Prague. And then a thought hit him that almost sent him reeling. What if Jack was the father of Blair's son?

Jared watched Chuck's face fall and turn ashen as he thought about Jack. Good, Jared thought, Chuck's response told him that Chuck still cared about her. "He also took her to court over your estate," he added.

Chuck blanched even more. He had never thought that Jack would resurface after his disappearance or that he'd challenge his will. "He didn't win, did he?" Chuck asked in horror.

"No, Ms. Waldorf is a pretty tough lady. I think she gave him a run for his money. She fought him in court again with your step mother, over the company," he added.

"Good," Chuck replied in relief, glad to know that Jack didn't have his hands in his estate or in Bass Industries. It also made sense as to why Blair was the CEO of the company. He smiled knowing she'd be dynamite in a board room.

"She still loves you, Henry," he told him. "From what I read, Blair had even refused to believe you were dead."

"That doesn't mean she loves me. She found someone else. They have a child together," he growled. "She moved on, Jared!"

"No she didn't," Jared replied, growing weary of his stubbornness. "She hasn't dated anyone else in years, despite the offers she's been getting. She was waiting for you to come home."

"But the child?" Chuck said. "She had a child from another man."

Jared looked at him and smirked. "Are you sure about that?"

**XOXO**

On the other side of the world, Blair was just finishing the papers she needed to fax back to Jared Dalton. She wrote a personal note to attach to the forms, apologising for her sudden departure from his meeting the previous day. She thanked him for his understanding and she asked him a favour. Blair asked if Jared would promise to look after Chuck, and to be so kind as to inform her if anything should ever happen to him, or if he ever needed anything. She finished off by saying that Chuck was important to her, and she just needed to know he was alright. She would be grateful to Jared for doing this, if he wouldn't mind.

She faxed the papers off and hurried out of the building so she could get home and be with her son once again.

**XOXO**

On the other side of the world. Chuck was stunned over Jared's words.

"What do you mean _Am I sure_?" Chuck asked as even more color drained from his face.

Jared excused himself to walk over to the fax machine where the papers were beginning to come in from Bass Industries.

"Ah," he said as he glanced through the stack. "Your girl has made good on her promise. We're getting full backing! We're going international!"

"That's wonderful, Jared" Chuck said with sincerity.

"And here," Jared said as he passed the personal note from Blair over to Chuck. "Tell me again that she doesn't love you," he snipped.

"Jared…," Chuck began. He wanted to know what Jared had meant by his previous comment.

The old man held his hand out to stop Chuck. "I think you need to call Blair and have a talk with her," he interrupted. "There are some questions you should probably ask her," and I think you might want to consider going home for a visit," he said as he pushed the other papers from Blair into his briefcase. "And now I have somewhere else I need to be. So if you'll excuse me, I'll see you tomorrow."

And with that, Jared left Chuck staring after him, open mouthed and more confused than ever.

**XOXO**

A few hours later on the other side of the planet, Blair had just spent the evening entertaining Serena at her penthouse. Chase was busy telling Serena's infant daughter all about the job of a fireman as he played with his truck. He was busy racing around the penthouse yelling, "Ding, Ding, Ding…." as he pretended to be the bell. It was driving Serena nuts.

She had noted Blair was sullen and seemed even more depressed than she usually was. Serena was trying to get Blair to open up and talk to her about what was wrong, but kept on getting interrupted by her noisy nephew.

"Chase, can you take your truck upstairs so I can talk to your mommy?" she asked.

"Serena!" snapped Blair. "Leave Chase be. He can play with his fire truck down here if he wants to."

"But I'm finding the noise annoying," she whined. "It's like he doesn't want you to talk to me or something."

Blair laughed a little. "That's because he missed me," she informed her friend.

"No it's more like because he's a typical Bass!" Serena stated, feeling more than a little agitated.

"Serena!" snapped Blair once again. "Don't say things like that around my son," she defended. She was pissed! Serena was starting to sound just like her husband.

"Well it's true! Just look at him!'" she squealed.

Chase ran by her, now pretending to be an airplane. He started repeating, "I'm a Bass, I'm a Bass, I'm a Bass," over and over again as he flew around the room.

"See!" Blair screeched. "He doesn't miss a thing! You can't say stuff like that around him, Serena."

"Well he is a Bass, Blair!" Serena snapped back. "You made sure his last name was Bass on the birth certificate. So he is a Bass! Remember?"

Blair grimaced. Serena was right. She had made sure that Chase carried his father's name; A name that would follow him into Bass Industries when he became an adult, if he wanted it to.

"Of course I remember. But it's hyphenated. He's a Waldorf- Bass. So he's a Waldorf too!" she sighed. "I don't want him going around saying 'I'm a Bass' all the time. It just reminds me of Chuck."

"Blair….," Serena began as she watched her friend become teary eyed once more. "Chuck's dead," she said. "You have to let him go."

Blair put her head down into her lap as the tears started to fall again. She shook her head, visions of Chuck replaying as he had held her in her hotel room not so long ago. "I know," she admitted. "But it's just too hard."

Serena scooted over closer to her friend and wrapped her arms around her, pulling Blair in close. "I know it is, but it's for the best," Serena tried to convince her. "It's time you moved on."

**XOXO**

On the other side of the world, Chuck staggered into his suite and flopped across his bed. He seldom drank any more, but tonight he had gotten drunker than he'd been since his days in Prague.

He'd gone to the neighborhood pub he sometimes frequented and started drinking scotch. The bartender eyed him with concern. "What's gotten into you, Henry?" he asked. "You're not one for drinking the heavy stuff."

Chuck shrugged him off. "Then you don't really know me very well then," he sneered. He'd continued to drink by himself, rejecting advances from some of the ladies in the place. He didn't want a fucking slut, he thought. He wanted a tiny brunette with a big personality and a dynamite body.

But that particular brunette was thousands of miles away from him, likely with someone else. He didn't believe she could possibly still love him after what he'd done to her, despite the note she'd faxed Jared. Why would she? And she had a kid. A kid by some other guy! But who? He wracked his brains out trying to figure out who Blair would have gotten pregnant by. The only two men he could think of her sleeping with were Nate and Jack.

Both were bad! How could she have done that to him, he thought in despair as he downed the remainder of his drink once again. But then he got to thinking about his conversation with Jared that afternoon.

He had told his boss that Blair didn't love him. She'd moved on and had a baby from another man. But Jared had told him she had never moved on. There hadn't been anyone else.

Chuck was stumped. As much as he loved and respected Jared Dalton, sometimes the old guy drove him crazy! Just what the hell had he meant by that? Did he think that Blair didn't have a baby? Did he think she'd been lying about it?

He couldn't figure out why she would do that, unless it was to discourage him from wanting her ever again. Maybe she had wanted him to think she was with someone else so he wouldn't bother her again.

When the bartender refused to serve him any more alcohol, Chuck had taken a cab back to his suite. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get the image of Blair Waldorf out of his head. He wanted to know the truth. If she even really had a kid, then who was the fucker that had knocked her up?

Unable to resist any longer, he picked up the phone and told the switchboard that he wanted to make a call to New York.

**XOXO**

Later that evening, on the other side of the globe, Blair decided to soak in a hot bubble bath and try and relax. But she found that she just couldn't stop thinking about Chuck.

In her adjoining bedroom, Chase sat looking at his favourite book on Blair's bed, trying to read it as he retold the story out loud to his dinosaurs. He had leaned them up against his mother's pillows and covered them with her blankets so they could hear the bedtime story. When Blair's cell phone started to ring from her bedside table, Chase decided to answer it.

Chase picked up the ringing phone and pushed the green talk button he had seen his mother do countless times before. "Hello," he said into the phone.

"Uh, hello," Chuck replied. "I'm looking for Blair Waldorf. Have I got the right number please?"

"Do you wanna hear a story?" Chase asked Chuck. "My dinosaurs like me to read, 'ceptin my 'ceratops. I flush him inna toilet. I flush Papa Ruff, Ruff's watch init too," he informed him.

Chuck was stumped. He wasn't sure he had the right phone number. "Is your mother there?" he asked.

"Mamma's inna tub having a baff," Chase replied. "Do you like fire trucks? I havea new fire truck. He goes ding, ding, ding!" he squealed with enthusiasm.

Chuck was amused. The little guy was entertaining for sure. "Is your mother's name Blair Waldorf?" he asked the child, hoping for an answer.

"Yes!" screeched Chase. "My mamma is Blair. Mamma's inna baff. You wanna hear my story?" he asked Chuck again.

At least he knew that Blair hadn't been telling a lie about the child, Chuck thought. "What's your father's name?" he asked Chase, hoping to get the information out of him.

But Chase didn't understand. He had no idea what the word father meant. He held Blair's phone to his ear and didn't say anything for a moment, then started telling Chuck about his dinosaurs on his mother's pillows.

Chuck was getting frustrated. "Hey, kid," he said, interrupting Chase. "Kid!"

Chase stopped talking again for a minute at the sound from the strange man on the phone.

"What's your name little boy?" Chuck asked. "Can you tell me your name?"

"My name's Chase!" he announced proudly. "Who're you?" he asked back.

"I'm Chuck Bass," Chuck replied hesitantly. It was the first time he'd uttered those words in over three years!

Chase smiled into the phone. "I'ma Bass. I'ma Bass, I'ma Bass," he repeated proudly as he jumped up and down on his mother's bed, a tyrannosaurus rex tucked under his arm.

Chuck was stumped. It had sounded like the kid had said 'I'm a Bass!' Surely he was mistaken! Unless the child was indeed Jacks! OMG! That's it, he thought! Blair had had Jack's kid! He hung up the phone quickly, not wanting to talk to the little boy any longer.

So Blair had slept with Jack and had his baby after all! The thought of it made Chuck sick to his stomach. He quickly ran into his bathroom and started to puke as the image of Blair and Jack together filled his head.

**XOXO**

On the other side of the phone line, Chase finally sat back down on the bed and began to read his story into the phone, happy to share it with his new friend and his dinosaurs.

**XOXO**

Later on the other side of the world, Chuck burrowed his head into his pillow and tried to fight the images that had been invading his mind for over an hour. Tears poured down his face and he wasn't able to stop them. Finally he picked up his pillow and let a blood curdling scream go into it as he grieved. Of all the people she could have gotten involved with, and pregnant by, Jack was the worst case scenario!

He had known he'd lost her before. But he hadn't fathomed to what extent. He was devastated! Crushed! It was like she had broken up with him all over again!

Finally putting his sorrow on hold, Chuck let anger take over. He began to get pissed off. How dare she do that to him! How dare she sleep with his uncle and then give the little bastard the Bass name! Everyone would know the child's shame! And everyone would know that his mother had whored herself out once again to his uncle!

He hated her! Had it been her way of paying him back for sleeping with that little troll? Did she hate him that much? As far as he was concerned, sleeping with Jack was way worse than his sleeping with Jenny had been! He picked up the phone and called the switchboard one more time.

**XOXO**

On the other side of the globe, Blair lay sleeping in her bed. She clutched her pillow to her chest where she had fallen asleep with it in her arms. Mascara streaks from where her tears had fallen on it, told how she had cried over the man she loved, until she had finally fallen asleep in exhaustion.

The ringing of her cell phone woke her up.

"Hello," she said into it groggily.

No answer came from the receiving end, but Blair was sure she could hear breathing.

"Hello, is anybody there?" she asked.

"You just had to do it," Chuck said shakily into the phone.

"Pardon me. Who is this?" she asked.

"How could you do it, Blair?" he asked through his tears.

Blair snapped wide awake as the realisation of who it was, hit her. "Chuck?" she said. "Is that you?"

"Fuck. Of course it's me. Who did you think it was? Jack?" he sneered.

She recognised the tone in his voice. He was upset and drunk. A bad combination! She winced, knowing this wouldn't likely be a positive conversation. "Chuck what's wrong? And what are you talking about?" she asked.

"I spoke to your son earlier this evening," he told her.

"Oh!" she stated, feeling her gut turn and her head spin. "When did you call?"

"You were in the tub. He and I had a little chat."

Blair's heart was pumping a mile a minute. "You did?" she asked.

"How could you have slept with him again, Blair? Did you hate me that much?"

"You're not making any sense, Chuck," she informed him. "You're drunk. Perhaps you should call me back when you're sober."

"I'm not fucking finished!" he yelled into the phone. "You slept with that fucker again and let him knock you up! How could you do that to me?"

Blair's blood started to run cold. She knew she ought to hang up the phone, but somehow she just couldn't. She had to know what he was thinking. She was pretty sure what he was implying, but she hoped she was wrong. She stayed on the line, but didn't answer him. She didn't really know how.

"So you don't deny it?" he asked, calmer now.

"I don't know what to say, Chuck. You're obviously drunk and I don't know what you're really talking about," she replied.

Chuck shut his eyes and shook his head as the tears started to seep out of them again. "I'm talking about Jack. The filthy bastard that fathered your son," he cried.

Blair was both shocked and confused. She could not believe what she had just heard him say. "What?" she asked in alarm. "What did you just say to me?"

She felt like she might explode. Chuck seriously believed that she had slept with Jack again and then had his child! How dare he! In three years she hadn't even been able to consider dating anyone else since he had vanished, let alone get involved with someone like Jack! She loved Chuck, and only Chuck! And after all the time she'd spent raising their son on her own, she had remained faithful to him, the man she loved. Blair was angrier than she could ever remember being before!

"I asked your son," Chuck cried. "He told me he was a Bass, Blair. What other Bass could it have been?" he snarled. "Who else would have knocked you up and left you to raise a child on your own?"

"You, you son of a bitch!" she yelled into the phone. "You're the one who left me to raise our child alone!"

Chuck stood in shock as Blair slammed the phone down in his ear. Had she just said what he thought she said?

**XOXO**

**A/N:** So he knows!

If you liked it, please review it!


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

The next morning, Blair refused to get out of bed and go to work. She called her secretary and told her to cancel her meetings for the day. After the night she'd had, there was no way in hell she was going to be able to face anyone for awhile!

She had regretted her words to Chuck as soon as they had come out of her mouth last night. She'd told him about her son! And God only knew what he would do with that information. It was worrying her and she didn't know what to do. And what really sucked is she couldn't even tell anyone about it!

Chuck had tried to call her back repeatedly after she'd hung up on him, until she finally shut her cell phone off. This morning there had been more than twenty messages left on the phone. She erased them all without listening to them.

Now she just lay under her blankets and covered her head, too emotionally exhausted to even cry any more. She would stay there all day, she decided, and not deal with anything.

Well that had been the plan until the horrible screeching coming from downstairs invaded her peace!

Blair tore down the stairs to where she could hear a child crying and Dorota yelling in Polish. She flew into the kitchen and stopped short at the scene.

Both Dorota and Anna were soaking wet as Chase, who was sitting in the kitchen sink, continued to spray them with the spray nozzle.

"Ding, ding, ding, ding," he shouted with glee.

"Chase, stop that right now!" Blair snapped, causing the little boy to stop and look at her with solemn eyes.

"Dorota, what is going on?" she asked in alarm.

"I am cooking pancakes on stove and little batter, it spill on burner. It send up tiny flame on stove and Mr. Chase decide he was fire truck!" she explained in exasperation. "Mr. Chase was sitting in favourite spot in sink, like he do, and he turn spaying nozzle on and spray at stove. Then he get carried away and continued to spray everything in kitchen including Anna and me!" she told.

Blair looked at her son, clad only in his Bert and Ernie underwear and a red fireman's cap, as he sat in the sink looking very pleased with himself.

"I putta fire out, Mamma!" he told her. "Onna stove. There was fire an I putit out! I'ma fireman!"

Blair stepped through the puddles on the floor and picked her son up out of the sink. She kissed him on his nose and held his wet little body close to hers. He was shivering from the cold.

"You were very brave," she told him. "But when the fire is out, firemen don't spray the people, ok?"

"I keeping Anna an' Dorota safe!" he informed her.

Blair hugged Chase harder and carried him upstairs to get dried off and dressed in warmer clothes. Though misguided, her little boy really did have a big heart, she thought.

**XOXO**

On the other side of the world, Chuck was a mess. Not only was he more hung over than he could remember being in like forever, but he was still in shock over what Blair had told him last night. He was the bastard that had left her to raise their child all by herself. He was the little boy's dad!

He had tried to figure out how that was even remotely possible. He looked at dates and estimated when they'd last been together sexually. The only thing he could figure ,was that she must have been pregnant when he traded her for the Empire to Jack. His stomach had twisted once more with that knowledge and he flew into the bathroom and vomited again. For not only had he traded his girlfriend to his uncle, but he had traded his pregnant girlfriend to his uncle!

And then he'd slept with Jenny Humphrey and broke her heart again while she was carrying his child. No wonder she hated him! He didn't blame her for not telling him she was pregnant.

After that he'd disappeared to Prague. Had Chuck known he was going to be a father he never would have left... at least he believed that he wouldn't have. He would have stayed by Blair's side and helped her raise their son, whether or not they were together.

But now it was too late. He was Henry Prince, living in London and Chuck Bass was dead!

He forced himself to shower and headed into the office. There was a ton of paperwork he needed to finish before the weekend. He buried his mind in his work and was finally able to not think about the other issues in his life.

Jared came into the office just before noon. He took one look at Chuck and shook his head. The boy looked even worse than he did yesterday.

"Rough night?" he asked him.

Chuck looked up at the old man and grimaced. "You have no idea…," he replied."

"I've ordered Chinese, if you're hungry," Jared told him. "It'll be here in a few minutes."

Chuck just nodded and returned to his papers, not really wanting to talk.

The smell of the food, however, reminded Chuck that he hadn't eaten since the day before yesterday. He made his way into the board room to where Jared was enjoying his lunch. He thought maybe he could handle a little rice.

"Pull up a chair," he told Chuck.

Chuck obliged and helped himself to a little rice and a cup of jasmine tea. "Thanks," he said.

"So what's happening, Henry?" Jared asked.

Chuck shook his head and swallowed his mouthful of rice. "Did you know Blair's son is my child?" he asked his employer.

Jared smiled. Good, he thought. The boy had finally figured it out. "I did," he admitted.

"Did she tell you? And why didn't you say anything to me yesterday?" Chuck asked, feeling the information could have spared him some annoyance.

Jared shook his head as he picked up a fat dumpling with his chopsticks. "Ms. Waldorf never said anything about her child's father to me. And I didn't say anything to you because it's not my place to. If you really want answers to those questions, you can find them in the same place I did."

Chuck nodded. He really hadn't wanted to look through Gossip Girl ever again, but he realised he had no choice if he wanted to know about his child. If he had looked last night in the first place, he never would have even had to call Blair.

"So what are you going to do about it?" Jared asked.

"About what?" Chuck asked.

"About having a son, Henry. You're that little boy's father!" Jared cried. Sometimes his brilliant protégé really wasn't so bright, he thought!

"I don't know," he said truthfully. "Blair was right for not telling me about him the other day. If I have to stay in London under an alias, I can't really be the father to a child in New York."

Jared sighed and shook his head once more. "Son, you have a beautiful, intelligent woman who loves you and a young child who needs a father in New York. I think it's time for you to go home!" he stated.

Chuck swallowed the bile that was rising in his throat. "Blair doesn't love me anymore, Jared. And besides, I gave it all up. And I'm supposed to be dead, remember? How the hell can I ever go back?"

Jared glared at Chuck, trying to remain patient. "I want to tell you something and I need for you to just sit and listen for a minute, alright?" he said.

Chuck nodded his head. "Alright," he promised.

"A long time ago….," Jared began, "….when I was fighting on the islands, I met the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Her name was Emily. She worked at a little shop that her family owned in the village near our camp. We became very good friends and then soon began to fall in love. She was intelligent and witty and understood me more than anyone else I'd ever met did. I wanted to ask her to marry me, and send her back to London where it was safe, But I was scared. Then before I knew it, we were shipped out to another island before I got up the nerve. The shop was bombed a few weeks later. Emily and her family were all killed."

"I'm sorry," Chuck said as he watched the tears pool in the old man's eyes.

Jared raised his hand for Chuck to be quiet. He wasn't done yet "I never was able to fall in love again," he said. "I gave up the opportunity to have love and a family because I had no nerve. And now all I have is an old cat and a deaf housekeeper. But you have the chance to have something wonderful in your life, Henry. So I don't know how you'll do it, but I think you need to try whatever you can, before that opportunity is gone forever."

**XOXO**

On the other side of the globe, Blair lay on her bed, still deep in thought about Chuck. Chase had settled down next to her on the bed for a nap and she lay stroking her fingers through his hair as she watched him sleep.

Dorota came to her room and knocked quietly on her door." Ms. Blair you have company," she said.

"Who is it Dorota?"

"Mr. Nate is here to see you," she informed her as she turned around to head back down stairs.

Blair sighed and got off of her bed, not even bothering to smooth her hair. She slipped on her housecoat and headed down the stairs, trying to think of a way to get rid of him.

"Lily said you didn't come in to work today," he stated. "I wanted to make sure you were all right." He came over and wrapped his arms around her. He leaned in to kiss her, but Blair turned her face so he only caught her cheek.

"I'm just really tired," Blair lied. "I think I have jet lag still from my trip to London."

"Oh, right," he said with a smile. "So how were things in London?"

Blair put on a false smile for him. "Things were just fine, Nate. Anyways….," she said changing the subject, "What can I do for you this afternoon?"

"Well," he said as he picked up both her hands in his. "You can do me the honour of being my date for dinner tonight."

Blair grimaced. "I don't think that's such a good idea," she said. "I'm not feeling well and Dorota is off in about an hour."

"Oh," he replied in disappointment. "Are you sure? We could always take Chase with us."

"I know, Nate," she agreed. "But I'm really not feeling the best, ok? Maybe we can do it another time."

"Sure," he said somewhat disappointingly. "That'll be great." He leaned in to kiss her on the forehead before saying goodbye.

Blair gave sigh of relief. Thank God he was gone! She couldn't understand why Nate continued to try and court her. She'd given him no hope in three years, but he still persisted!

**XOXO**

Later that evening in London, Chuck sat on the bed in his hotel room with his lap top, scanning through the last few years' worth of gossip from Gossip Girl. It was an eye opening experience to say the least.

He read about his disappearance and alleged death. He read about Blair's pregnancy and how her mother and society had disowned her. He read how her supposed friends had pushed her to either abort or give the baby up, and how she fought them all off and kept him. He read how she insisted she was no slut and the child's father was indeed Chuck Bass, He read how she had proven it with DNA testing after Chase's birth. He was shocked to read that after the test, she had legally named the child's last name Bass. He smiled reading that New York needed to be prepared for yet another CB another!

He read how Blair had refused to believe Chuck was dead, despite the legal declaration and the memorial service Lily had organised for him. He read how Blair had defended the right to his will and estate for their son's benefit in court against Jack and a team of his lawyers, having only her own father represent her side in court.

He read of how Blair had struggled to balance school with motherhood during the entire mess with Jack and how she had refused to date other suitors including Nathaniel Archibald and Jack Bass! He read how lonely they claimed she was, and how she struggled with depression, despite her success in business. And he read how she believed that Chuck would one day return to the Upper East Side and take his place by her side.

From what Chuck gathered from all of his reading was that despite all of the wrongs he had done t Blair, she did indeed still love him. This acknowledgment had him crying once again as he realised he had wasted three years of his life thinking she hated him and never wanted to see him again. It was this belief that made him remain undercover and living in London.

Chuck skimmed through the threads once more, this time focusing on photos, mostly of Blair and his son. He zoomed in on the most recent photo of Chase and gasped in shock as he realized the child looked exactly like he had as a child. If he had any doubts as to who had sired Blair's child before, they were all eradicated now. Looking at Chase was like looking in a mirror! He printed several of the photos he found on the site, including a lovely one of him and Blair together from years ago.

That night as Chuck lay sleeping he dreamed a new dream about Blair. In this dream they lay together in a large bed with several children playing with dinosaurs. When he awoke the next morning he knew what he had to do.

**XOXO**

On Saturday morning Blair headed over to Lily's for their regular family breakfast. She was relieved to see that Dan seemed in a much better mood today, and prayed that Chase wouldn't upset him again. But because she was still angry at him for his rude comments about her child from last week, she and Chase stayed away from him.

Chase was pleased to present a gift to Rufus, a new watch to replace the one he had flushed.

"I sorry, Papa Ruff Ruff," he said as he passed Rufus the gift. "No more inna toilet, ok?"

Rufus picked up Chase and blew a raspberry on his belly. "Ok, Chase and thank-you," he said with a laugh. He was very pleased, it looked just like the one Chase had flushed.

"How are you feeling, Blair?" Lily asked from across the table. "We missed you at work yesterday."

"I'm sure I'll be fine," she replied. "I'm just feeling a little under the weather."

"You must have picked up something in London," Lily said.

Blair flashed a phony smile. "Probably," she replied, knowing that the only thing she'd picked up was another case of heartbreak and a pain in the Bass!

Blair noticed Eric looking at her strangely. She knew that he was aware that something major was up with her. Over the last three years he had become almost as perceptive of her as Chuck had once been.

As Blair and Chase were leaving, Eric walked up to her. "I'll come by tomorrow and see you," he said quietly. "And we're going to talk."

**XOXO**

On the other side of the planet, Chuck was feeling the smooth skin of his jaw for the first time in years. He closed his eyes and tried to get comfortable on the horrid, narrow seat once again. But even in first class, it was still a commercial flight and there was no room for that to happen.

Earlier that day, he had gone and gotten a full shave and a haircut. Next he had gone into a few higher-end shops and purchased a few thousand dollars worth of clothes and some new shoes.

He'd finally gone back to the hotel and packed a bag, calling Jared as he headed to the airport to tell him he was taking some time off work.

"Good luck, Charles," Jared had told him. "You take as much time as you need to make things right."

He wasn't sure how he was going to do it, but he sure as hell was going to try!

**XOXO**

**A/N: **So he's on his way….. Do you think he should be met by a welcoming Blair, or a raging bitch?


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9 **

**Tonight's episode SUCKED!  
**

**A/N: Beware. This chapter is an M rating part way through.**

This chapter gets a little steamy after a bit… I won't go really graphic in this story, and I'll give a smut warning for anyone who isn't comfortable with that type of stuff!

**XOXO**

Blair leaned over and kissed her son goodnight after tucking him into his bed. Then she closed his door and went into her room for the night.

As she showered she wondered if Chuck was going to try phoning her back. And if he did, she wondered if she would take the call or not. She cleaned her teeth, blew dry her hair and slipped on a satin nightie and robe as she looked at the pros and cons of her choices.

On one hand, Blair really did want to talk with him. She wanted to tell him she still loved him and she wanted him to come home. She wanted to tell him about their child. But she realised there was little point in doing either of these things if he was going to stay in London as Henry Prince. On the other hand, she was scared to talk to him again. If he was drunk and abusive, it would destroy her, All in all she figured it would just be better not to take the call. She'd likely just save herself a lot of heartache in the long run.

And that realisation made her sad all over again. She was amazed that she still had the energy to cry and her throat was absolutely raw from sobbing.

She decided to go down into the kitchen to get a bottle of water from the fridge before going to bed. As she was about to head back up the stairs, she heard the elevator bell for the penthouse.

"Dorota, is that you?" she called to the darkness as she walked over to see who was there. Perhaps the maid had forgotten something.

She stopped in the dark when she saw a man's shape coming out of the elevator. "Who… who is it?" she asked nervously.

"Blair, it's me," replied Chuck as he stepped out of the shadows in front of her.

Blair felt herself getting dizzy and put her hand out to hold the wall to steady herself.

"Chuck?" she asked in disbelief.

He walked over to her and wiped the tears off from under her eyes with his thumb. "I'm so sorry," he said as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him. "I'm so very sorry."

Blair nodded her head as more tears began to fall. She wrapped her arms around him and lay her head over his heart.

"Why are you here?" she asked.

"I came to see my son," he admitted.

Blair stiffened a bit. "Of course," she replied.

"I'm sorry about what I said last night. I…., I had no idea the baby was mine," he apologised. "I was so afraid that someone else had gotten you pregnant and then abandoned you….," he said. But his words fell short. He swallowed a lump in his throat and continued.

"…. But it was me who had abandoned you. I didn't know Blair, I swear. If I'd have known you were pregnant I would have come back." he said.

"I know you would have," she admitted. "And I didn't know I was pregnant for several months. By then it was too late, you were already gone." Blair began to sob again, remembering how lost she had felt without him by her side through it all. "I just didn't know you were hiding from me!"

Chuck wrapped her tighter in his arms. "I'm so sorry. I really thought you didn't want me to ever come back. I was staying away for you."

Blare squeezed her eyes tight as she held onto him. " I didn't at first. I was so hurt and so angry at you that I didn't want you to come home. But later on when you didn't come back and everyone thought you were dead….," she sobbed.

"I'm really sorry," he repeated. "I can't imagine what you must have gone through. But you never gave up, did you?"

Blair shook her head. "No," she admitted. "I just couldn't believe it. I didn't feel like you were gone. And I kept having these dreams about you."

"Me too," he admitted. "I would go to bed and I could swear I could smell you. And then I would have these crazy dreams where we'd be together and then you'd walk away or you'd be crying…..."

Blair nodded her head. "I had them too! We would be together and then you'd just disappear on me or call my name, but then be gone. I knew you couldn't be dead."

She pulled away from him. "What now," she asked as she wiped her tears.

"I.., I don't know," he replied. "Can I see him?"

Blair froze. Of course, she thought. He's come to see his son. "He's sleeping, Chuck."

"Oh, of course," he said realising the time. "Well then, can I look at him?" he asked.

"I…., I suppose that would be alright," Blair stated. She could feel the protective mother instinct kicking in. She wanted to let Chuck into her son's life, but she needed to know what his motives were first. For Chase's benefit she just couldn't let him in if he was going to bugger off again. It just wouldn't be fair to the little boy. But Chase was sleeping and once out, it was nearly impossible to wake the usually active little fellow up. He was like his father in that way, too.

Blair started up the stairs and went down the hallway to Chase's room. She slowly opened the door and raised her finger to her lips, to indicate that Chuck should be quiet. She stood in the doorway, letting him go in by himself.

Chuck tip-toed into the room and sat down on the child's bed to look at him.

Chase was out cold, his cheeks flushed in sleep. He raised his little hand to scratch an itch on the side of his little nose and he screwed up his mouth for a moment, showing his dimples. His hand slipped back under his covers and he let out a little puff of air from his mouth.

Chuck stared at the little guy in awe. He couldn't believe that from their love, he and Blair had made something so beautiful together. He felt tears begin to well up in his eyes as the realisation of just what he'd been missing all these years, dawned on him. He slowly reached out his hand and stroked the child's curly hair off of his face, smiling a moment when he saw Chase smile in his sleep.

Blair walked into the room and leaned down to kiss her son, holding back more tears when Chuck followed suit.

Chuck got off the bed and followed Blair back out into the hall. He wiped his eyes. "Thank you," he whispered. "He's beautiful."

Blair nodded. "He is. He looks just like his Papa." She walked back down the stairs, followed by Chuck.

"So did anyone see you at the airport?" she asked.

"I don't think so," he replied. "I wore shades and had my collar up."

Blair nodded her head. She really didn't know what else to say to him. "Where are you staying?" she finally asked.

"I…., I haven't thought about that," he admitted. "I was kind of hoping you could put me up for a few days."

"Oh," she replied in shock. She had not been expecting that. "I…., I'm not sure."

Chuck blushed. "Oh, of course," he said. "I'm sorry. I'm sure I can find something….." He turned toward the elevator to go.

"No, Chuck," she said. "Of course you can stay here. I just….. I'm just worried about Chase."

"What are you worried about?" he asked.

"I think you need to be really careful with him," she admitted. "It would be wrong to tell him you're his father if…..," she stopped and blushed.

"If I decide I can't handle it and run again," he finished. "Is that it?" Chuck was angry. He lowered his head and stared at the floor tiles. He wanted to lash out at her. This was his son!

Blair walked over to him and took his hand. She looked at him until he raised his eyes to meet hers. "Hey," she said. "Your son is a little boy who is loving and trusting, Chuck. He's wanted a Papa since he was an infant. It would break his little heart if he thought he had one, only to lose it if you decided you couldn't handle it and left again. I'm sorry but I can't let you let him down. I can't let you hurt him."

Chuck closed his eyes and sighed. "You mean just like I let you down and hurt you, right?" But as much as it hurt him to admit it. Blair was probably right. He opened his eyes to look at her again and nodded his head. He knew he just might return to his life in England. He couldn't promise her anything.

Blair raised her hand to stroke the side of his face. "I'm sorry," she said.

"No, you're right," he commented. "As much as I want to be angry at you, I know you're just being a good mother just protecting her son." He let go off her hand. "I should probably just find a hotel," he commented.

"No, I can't let you stay in a hotel. Of course we have room for you here," she told him feeling guilty for making him feel unwanted. Despite all the problems they'd had and all the wrong's he had done her, she still loved him and he was company. "You can stay in my old room. It's the guest room now," she added.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Of course," she smiled. Whether she wanted it or not, Chuck was family now. And it had been a long time since she had family other than Chase under her roof. "Come on," she said. "I'll show you up."

Chuck walked back to the elevator and picked up his bag. He followed Blair upstairs to the room he had once loved to hang out in as a boy. He felt tears welling up again in his eyes as he placed his bag on the once familiar bed. "I never thought I'd see this room again," he admitted sorrowfully.

Blair laid her hand on his shoulder. "I knew you would," she told him.

Chuck turned around and gathered her up in his arms, burrowing his face under her hair against her neck. He could feel the pull of her body on his, the energy causing a jolt through his entire body. "I really missed you," he cried.

Blair felt the energy run through her body too. Her neck was on fire where his mouth grazed the skin. She knew she should pull away from him and go back to her room, but then Chuck parted his lips and kissed her neck, slightly drawing her skin in between his lips, savouring her taste. And as much as she knew she should get away before things went any further, she couldn't.

"I missed you too," she finally replied, running her hand up around his neck and into his hair.

Blair felt her knees going weak as he started to walk her backward towards the bedroom wall. When her back hit it, his mouth moved up towards her ear and along her jaw body was melting but her head was screaming at her to leave now! She knew she should push him away. She could be without him, after all it had been over three years since they'd been a couple and had had sex. But for that very same reason she couldn't stop him. Because after all, it had been more than three years since they'd had sex! And as much as her brain screamed NO, STOP!... her body pleaded with it to continue.

**A/N: SMUTT WARNING…. Read at own risk!**

Chuck began to run his hands up Blair's sides until he was undoing and then sliding his hands into her satin robe. He raised his head for a moment to look at her, and seeing the passion in her eyes, he slammed his mouth against her parted lips, moaning loud when he felt her tongue slip into his mouth. His hands ran up and down her body's curves until he finally slid his hands under her nightgown and under her bum.

As he lifted her, Blair wrapped her legs around his waist. "My room," she whispered huskily into his mouth.

Chuck carried her down the hall, past Chase's room and into the master suite.

Blair slid her legs down so her feet were back on the ground. She released her hands from around his neck and closed the door. Walking back over to him, her lips found his once more. She ran her hands up his front and began to unbutton his shirt and slide it off him. She slid her hands back down his chest, over the scar on his stomach and then began to undo his pants.

Chuck continued to kiss her as she undressed him. Once his pants hit the floor and he'd stepped out of them, he slid the robe off of Blair's shoulders and lifted her nightie over her head.

"Fuck, you're beautiful," he groaned as he backed her up against the bed and lowered them both down so that he lay next to her.

Blair looked into his eyes, not really believing that this wasn't just another dream. "Chuck…," she whispered as she ran her fingers along his smooth skin.

He raised one hand to stroke her face before leaning in to kiss her once again. His other hand began to caress her breast.

Blair slid her body a little closer to his until she felt him hard against her thigh. She slipped her hand down and around his back until she was cupping his bum, and pulled him in even closer. She then began to stroke him, causing him to groan into her mouth.

Chuck slid his hands down Blair's body, one hand resting under her hip as the other stroked her wet core. "Chuck, please….," she moaned as she felt him slip a finger inside of her.

He rolled her gently onto her back and positioned himself over top of her. Blair wrapped her legs around him and arched her pelvis until it made contact with him.

They both gasped as he slid into her, both of them feeling whole for the first time in years. And when they'd finished making love, Chuck burrowed his face under Blair's hair and against her neck. He curled his body around hers, holding her tightly in his arms. Tonight, for the first time in three years, he wouldn't let her slip away and disappear.

**XOXO**

**A/N: **Hopefully not too smutty… but enough to warm you up on a cold January night!

And yes, I know, I know….. I was going to have a bit more bitch to this chapter…. But I just couldn't do it. Blair's apprehensive and concerned about Chuck, but come on, she couldn't help it! After all, Blair hasn't had a man in her bed in three years (and if you've ever had to go without for that long or even longer … well, you know what I mean! And really, could you deny Chuck in your bed? I mean really! Like sorry, but here's** NO FUCKING WAY!)**

Anyways… it's not necessarily all good yet. There is some shit that will need to go down! And he'll probably have to back to London … maybe? Also, please be aware, after this chapter it will likely be a few days until I write/ post the next one. I have to update my Ed/ Leighton fic first. Sorry if that bums you out, but I promised the fans following that story I'd update after the next new GG episode.)

**Up next… a CB/ CB introduction! **


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

**A/N:** Sorry for the delay in updating and sorry it's kind of a short chapter. I just finished my Ed/ Leighton fic this afternoon and thought I'd try to update this one quickly. I'll try and get another one up tomorrow or Monday if I can.

**XOXO**

The next morning Chuck woke up to tiny hands trying to pry open his eyes.

Chase was perched on the top of the pillow Chuck was sleeping on, with a fire truck by his side. "Wake up Mister Papa. You wanna see my fire truck?"

Chuck opened his eyes to see two dark amber ones, identical to his, staring back at him. He smiled at the little fellow. "Good morning, Chase," he said to his son.

"Who're you?" Chase asked as he stroked Chuck's face, loving the feel of the whiskers on the man's cheeks.

Chuck desperately wanted to tell the little guy that he was his father, but he remembered Blair's concerns from the night before. "My name's Chuck," he told him.

Chase stopped stroking Chuck's face and thought for a moment. The name was familiar to him. All of a sudden he remembered the phone call from the night before. "Chuck Bass!" Chase squealed, proud of himself. "I'ma Bass, I'ma Bass I'ma Bass," he repeated proudly.

Blair opened her eyes and tried to lift her head off of Chuck's chest to see her son bouncing in glee on the pillow behind Chuck. She groaned at the annoying words he was repeating. "Chase, please," she groaned.

Chase climbed over Chuck's head and plunked down next to his mother's face. "Morning, Mamma," he cooed as he bent down and kissed her on the mouth.

Blair smiled. "Good morning, Sweetheart. Did you have a good sleep?"

"I lost my tyranasaur!" he told her with large eyes. "I…, I dinna flush him!"

"Chase!" Blair gasped. "I sure hope you didn't flush another dinosaur down the toilet. Did you?" she asked.

Chase buried his head under Chuck's pillow. He knew he was going to get in trouble again. For some reason he just couldn't seem to help himself. He just loved to watch stuff swirl away down the bowl.

"Oh crap!" Blair stated as she slipped out of bed and grabbed her robe and headed into the family bathroom. "Last time he flushed his triceratops and they had to rip out the entire plumbing system in the main bath!"

Blair rushed into the family bathroom and groaned when she saw the large puddle on the floor and the toilet bowl filled to the rim. No dinosaur was apparent. He'd done it again!

"Chase!" Blair screeched, "Get in here right now!"

Chuck stifled a laugh as he saw the little guy burrow deeper under the pillow.

Blair came into the bedroom and lifted up the pillow. "Chase Bass, you march into that bathroom right now and help mommy clean up that mess. You are in so much trouble, Mr.!"

Chase slipped off the bed and slunk into the bathroom, head hanging low in shame.

Blair passed him a wad of paper towels and had him mop up some of his mess as she helped him.

"You mad, Mamma?" he asked.

Blair sighed. "Chase I love you, but you have to stop flushing things down the toilet! It makes me angry when you break the toilet."

"Is broken?" Chase asked. He looked into the bowl and pulled the handle once more. Squealing with delight as the water rushed over the sides again. He grabbed onto the side of the toilet and began to jump up and down in the puddle, unable to resist the temptation.

"Chase!" Blair screeched. "Oh my God! You're going to flood the whole apartment! Get out of that water, it's dirty!"

"Chuck!" Blair yelled in distress. "Can you please come in here and help me? I don't know what to do!"

Chuck flew into the bathroom and saw the water spilling over the top of the bowl as his son jumped and danced in the puddle on the floor. He leaned down beside the tank and switched off the valve so the water would stop running. Sure enough it finally stopped.

Chase looked back in the toilet in distress. "Where's my Tyranasaur?" he asked with tears starting to build in his eyes.

Blair sighed and shook her head. She picked up her soaking wet child and gave him a hug. "He's gone, Chase. He's probably with his friend the triceratops!"

Chase started to cry and buried his head in the curve of his mother's neck. "But I want him," he bawled.

"I'm sorry, love," she soothed. "But when you flush something down the toilet it's usually gone forever. That's why we don't flush things in the toilet." She hugged the little boy while he cried over his lost toy, his tears usually made her cry too.

"Chuck can you take Chase into the shower in my room and clean him off while I try and clean this mess?" she asked with tears welling up in her eyes. "He's starting to shiver from the cold."

"Ah, sure," Chuck said sceptically as he reached out his arms to pluck the little guy from his mother's side. "Let's go, buddy," he said to him.

**XOXO**

"Is he always like that?" Chuck asked after Blair had called the plumber and they had gotten Chase and themselves all dried and cleaned up.

Blair nodded her head. "This is pretty mild, actually. Yesterday he turned the spray nozzle on Dorota and Anna in the kitchen pretending to be a fireman!"

Chuck laughed. "Bart used to tell me stories like that. He couldn't keep a nanny for more than a couple of months. He said I wore them right out."

Blair chuckled. "I seem to remember how mischievous you were in elementary school," she replied. "At least Chase comes by it honestly."

Chuck smiled sadly. It broke his heart to think that the child might turn out like him.

Blair noted the sad look on his face. "What's wrong," Blair asked him.

"I think it's unfair that poor little guy might turn out like me," he admitted.

"Chuck," Blair countered. "Chase will have a whole different life than yours. He already has. He has a mother who adores him for a start, and he won't be raised by housekeepers. And if…., if you decide you want to be a part of his life and come back home, he'll have a father too."

"What if I can't?" he said. "What if I can't handle it and I have to leave again?" he asked sadly. "Then he's going to grow up with only one parent like I did. And he'll hate me for not being there for him and you."

"No he won't," Blair answered quietly.

Chuck looked at her in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I refrained from dating for the last three years because I believed you'd come home to me. I thought we would work things out. You once told me we were inevitable and I believed you," she said with tear filled eyes. "But if you choose to leave, I will have to start over again. I don't want to live alone for the rest of my life, Chuck. And Chase needs a father and brothers and sisters…..." She looked at him as fresh tears slipped down her cheeks. "If you decide you don't want us Chuck, then I'll have to find someone who does."

"You'd do that?" he asked in disbelief.

She nodded her head sadly. "I love you, but if you don't want to be here, then I need to move on. I can't live my life alone any more. It's too hard…." She looked over at her son. "…On both of us! Chase wants a daddy so badly that he's taken to calling every man Papa. It breaks my heart."

He shook his head. "Blair, you know I…., I can't promise you anything." He reached out to wipe a tear off of her cheek.

She nodded and smiled sadly at him. "I know." She took her hand and removed his from her face. "I need to give Chase some breakfast. Do you want anything?"

"Maybe a glass of milk," he said as he followed her into the kitchen.

Blair turned around and stared at him in shock. "Milk?" she asked in disbelief.

He nodded and smirked. "Yeah, I tend to drink a lot of it these days."

As Blair was getting Chase some breakfast, Chuck headed into the little room next to Blair's office where most of the boy's toys were kept. He sat on a comfortable chair in the corner and watched as his son dug through a huge toy chest and pulled out items. But nothing in the box seemed to appeal to Chase at the moment. Finally he walked over to his bookshelf and pulled out a couple of his favourite books.

"Can you read me a story?" he asked hopefully as he climbed up onto Chuck's lap. He snuggled down against Chuck's back and opened up the first book.

Chuck frowned noticing the book was in French. "I don't know if I can read this," he told the little boy honestly.

Chase looked up at Chuck with concern. "Don't-cha know your ABC's?" he asked innocently.

Chuck chuckled. The kid was smart. "Yes, I know my ABC's. But I haven't read anything in French in years. I suppose I could try," he said. He cleared his mind and tried to concentrate on the words.

"_Il était une fois dans un pays loi__ntain, vivait un petit garçon ..." _he began_._

When Blair walked into the playroom a few minutes later, she put her hand over her heart at the sight before her. Chase was curled up on Chuck's lap, one hand raised to stroke the whiskers on his chin, as Chuck struggled to read to the little guy in French.

After a moment they heard her in the doorway and Chuck looked up. "Chase, your breakfast is on the table," she said.

Chase jumped up off Chuck and ran into the dining room.

"He loves food," she told him apologetically. "Except peas," she added.

Chuck smiled. He hated peas too. "Are you teaching him French?" he asked.

Blair nodded. "He's a smart little boy, Chuck. He started talking really early. So I started reading to him in French as well as English. He's picked up a little Polish too," she informed him proudly.

"So he does take after his mother a little," Chuck smiled.

"Hardly," she stated. "The boy is so much like you," she said sadly.

"I'm sorry about that," he apologised.

"Chuck, I love that he looks like you. But sometimes when I was missing you the most, it really hurt me to look at him."

Chuck nodded. He knew his father had felt that way at times too. Chuck looked just like his dead mother. "I'm sorry about that too," he said. He wrapped Blair up in his arms and placed a kiss on her forehead. He'd really made a mess of things, he thought.

Then after a moment Blair pulled away. "We should go and sit with him while he eats," she told him.

"Oh, is he really messy?" Chuck asked.

"No, it's not that he's a messy eater," Blair answered with a sigh. "But sometimes he likes to play with his food."

"Oh," Chuck said with a laugh as they headed into the dining room to sit with their son.

But as they entered the foyer they were met by two startled faces.

"What the fuck is he doing here?" Nate asked in shock as he stared at Chuck. "He's supposed to be dead!"

**XOXO**

**A/N:** So the two CB's have met. Cute, or what?

If you liked it, please review it!


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

**A/N: **Wow, thank you so much for the (mostly) great reviews. I appreciate it so much. As for those of you who hate the story (Peppy, et al) because Blair won't throw Chuck out of the house now (believe me, she's torn on what to do right now)… please feel free to go and read something else….. there are over 7000 stories on this site…..I'm sure you'll find one that you do like.

**XOXO**

As they entered the foyer they were met by two startled faces.

"What the fuck is he doing here?" Nate asked in shock as he stared at Chuck. "He's supposed to be dead!"

"Nate!" Blair snapped in disgust. "How could you say that to Chuck? He's supposed to be your friend!"

Eric, in the mean time, closed his mouth and flew across the room to take his step brother into his arms. "Chuck, oh my God. Blair kept telling us she knew you were alive, but nobody believed her!" he cried. "It's so good to see you back again."

Chuck was stunned. He would have expected Eric to behave as Nate had, and Nate to behave… well, like a friend!

"Um, yes, I've been in London. I ran into Blair at a meeting there last week," Chuck replied as he hugged his young step brother back. He looked at Nate wearily across the foyer.

Nate was livid. Chuck's sudden appearance jeopardised his chances of getting back together with Blair. "So, you've been in hiding then for three years while Blair has had to struggle to raise your kid alone?" he spat. "You're really something, Bass!"

"Nate, Please," Blair begged. "He's here to see his son. He didn't know about Chase, ok."

"What, they don't have computers or cell phones or entertainment magazines, or television in London? Please. This is bullshit!" Nate blurted. He looked over at Blair. "I can't believe you'd even let him into your home or near your son after everything he did to you!"

"Nate please…,"

"No, you know what?" he snapped. "I can't even look at the guy. You want him here, Blair? Then fine, but I'm out of here!" and with that, Nate hit the elevator button and left.

"I'm sorry….," Blair started.

"No Blair, he's right!" Chuck interrupted. "I disappeared for three years after I'd done horrible things to you. He has every right to be upset that I'm back."

"No he doesn't Chuck," Eric stated. "He's just jealous. He's been trying to get Blair back ever since you left. "

Chuck looked over at Blair. He remembered reading that she's had several suitors. He knew Jack had been one for sure. But Nate? He guessed that it made sense. After all, Nate had been Blair's boyfriend for years before they'd hooked up. And he was her friend. Chuck knew that Nate loved Blair. Of course he'd want to take care of her and Chase.

And Blair had just told him that if he wasn't prepared to stay, then she'd move on. Had she meant with Nate? His stomach twisted in grief at the realisation. He knew Blair would have eventually agreed to marry the guy even if she didn't love Nate like she loved him. The two were friends and Nate would be a good father to Chase.

He nodded. "Of course," Chuck said. "That makes sense now." He turned to Blair. "If you want me to leave, I'll go," he told her. "I didn't mean to interfere in your life."

Blair groaned. "It's not like that, Chuck. Nate is just being protective is all." She looked at him and shook her head. "Now I need to go and see what Chase is doing before he destroys the dining room."

Eric smiled at Chuck. "He's a great kid, Chuck. You and Blair created a fantastic child."

Chuck smirked, "Yes, I see a lot of me in him." And then he stopped and looked at his step brother in earnest. "I really am sorry for everything, Eric. I know how much I hurt everyone before I left."

"But that's water under the bridge," Eric replied. "I'm just glad you're back now. Mom will be so happy to know you're alive."

"I'm not so sure how long I'm back for," Chuck admitted. "I….., I wanted to see my child and to make sure everything's alright with Blair. But I don't know if I can stay."

Eric looked at him in disbelief. "How could you do that to them?" he asked. "You have no idea how lonely Blair has been without you. If you abandon her again it'll destroy her and Chase!"

Chuck winced. "But how can I possibly stay?" he asked. "Everyone will hate me for what I've done. And for good reason!"

"Not everyone will hate you," Eric stated. "Mom and I don't hate you…... And who's to say about other people. And Blair obviously doesn't hate you. She still loves you, Chuck! She's been lost without you! Her and Chase both need you!"

"I'm not so sure about that, Eric. What if I hate her again? Or both of them? I disappeared for a reason, Eric, and that was so I would never hurt her again."

"But you did hurt her again," Eric told him. "When you didn't return to her, it almost killed her. Blair had no one after you left, Chuck. No one except me and my mom. Her family disowned her and her friends turned their backs on her. If it wasn't for how much she loved the baby she was carrying, I don't know if she would have made it that year after you disappeared."

Chuck was overwhelmed. "I don't know what to say, Eric. I really thought I would come here and spend a few days to see my son and make sure they were alright," he admitted. "Now I don't know what I'm going to do!"

"You'll do the right thing, Chuck," Eric insisted. "If you've changed at all, this time you'll do the right thing by them. And if you choose to leave, it needs to be forever, because Blair deserves to have someone in her life who's going to love her and will be there for her and Chase." He looked at him, questioningly. "Do you still love her?"

Chuck frowned for a moment. Young as he was, Eric was wise. He let out a heavy sigh. "I do love her, Eric. That never changed. But you're right, I'll have to figure things out," he admitted.

"Well you better make it fast, because Nate is adamant he's going to marry her!"

"I thought Nate and Serena were together," Chuck said.

Eric laughed. "You don't remember my sister well then, do you? They were always on and off. She couldn't figure out who she wanted…. Nate, or Dan? But because Nate was chasing Blair after you disappeared, she finally figured it out and married Dan last year. They have a new baby. You have a new niece."

"Oh!" Chuck stated. "I have been gone awhile, haven't I? What else is new?"

Eric nodded is head. "You have," he said. "Well I guess the big news is, Jenny was killed by a raging lunatic a few weeks ago for sleeping with the girl's boyfriend in Rhode Island. There's a murder trial on right now, but it's likely the girl will get off because of her poor mental health. So my dad and Dan aren't handling that too well! And Nate has sworn of all other women for three years, because he wants to marry Blair. But besides that, not too much else is happening around here."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear about Jenny," Chuck stated (although the mere thought of the troll with her nasty hair extensions made him want to vomit). If it wasn't for him stupidly fucking the skank three years ago, he wouldn't have had to leave in the first place! He was kind of glad to hear she was gone.

"Thanks, but don't be sorry. She kind of got out of control and set herself up for that to happen," Eric admitted sadly. As much as he had once loved his dear friend, he hated what she had eventually become.

Chuck nodded his head. "I should go and see if Blair needs some help with Chase," he said. He needed to not be talking about that nasty troll any more either.

After they had cleaned the dining room, Chuck helped Blair tidy the kitchen up. Eric volunteered to take Chase out to the park for awhile. He thought it would be a good idea for Chuck and Blair to be alone to talk.

As Eric was about to head down in the elevator, the bell dinged and Serena stepped out.

"Eric, what's wrong with Nate?" Serena asked. "I just passed him on the street and he was cursing under his breath about something or other. He wouldn't even stop to talk and tell me what was wrong. Did something happen between him and Blair?" she asked.

Eric smiled. "Something like that," he replied.

"Well what happened?" she asked again.

Just as Eric was about to tell his sister about Chuck, he and Blair walked into the foyer. Serena took one look at Chuck, and fainted!

"Oh my God, Serena!" Blair yelled as she rushed over to her passed out friend. She slapped her gently on the face trying to bring her out of it.

"Somebody get me some water, quick!" she commanded.

Eric ran into the kitchen and brought back a glass of water. He quickly doused his sister with it. Serena began to sputter and come to.

"What the hell?" Serena yelled as she wiped the water from her eyes. "Who did that?"

"Ah, sorry, Sis," Eric laughed. "But you passed out."

"Why?" she asked. "What happened?"

"You saw Chuck," Eric told her.

"Chuck" she asked in confusion. And then it dawned on her. She had seen Chuck! "Oh my God, Chuck!" she spouted.

"Hey, Sis," Chuck said with amusement. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"I…, we…, I thought you were dead!" Serena exclaimed. She attempted to stand up with the help of Eric, but was a little woozy still. As soon as she was stable, she walked over to Chuck and wrapped her arms around him in a big hug. "I don't know whether to hug you are slap you," she admitted.

"Well I'm glad you chose the former," Chuck admitted. "It's good to see you too, Serena. And I understand you have a new baby. Congratulations," he said as he hugged her back.

"Yes, I left her with Dan for a few hours. I really needed to get out of the house for awhile," she admitted. And then she backed away from Chuck. "But I don't understand Chuck. Where have you been all these years?" she asked.

Chuck sighed. "It's a long story," he admitted.

Just then Chase ran into the foyer with a bath towel. He threw it on the puddle from Eric's water. "I clean-it up!" he said proudly.

"You're such a good boy," Blair praised as she leaned down and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank-you, Chase."

"Ready to go to the park?" Eric asked his nephew after Chase was content that the mess was all cleaned up.

"Ok, Uncaeric Papa," he said. He took Eric's hand and tried to reach the elevator button. Luckily he was still too short. God knows what kind of trouble he could find outside the apartment

Serena smiled. "He's so cute!" she commented.

Chuck smiled sadly. "He really is," he admitted. But it kind of broke his heart to hear Chase call Eric Papa, something he recalled Blair had told him, he called most men.

After Eric had left with Chase, Chuck sat down with Blair and Serena in the living room. He began to tell his story to them both, this time going into some more detail.

Serena was shocked. "I always believed you were dead, Chuck, after they found your wallet and everything," she said. "I figured if you were alive you would have come back when you heard about the baby, or when Jack tried to take over Bass Industries. But if you were alive, then why did you let Blair inherit your estate?" she asked. "I mean, it's your money! What have you been living on all this time?"

Chuck sighed. "I never checked for any gossip about anyone," he admitted. "When Blair told me we were through, I figured she deserved for me to stay out of her life. I didn't know about anything else until I ran into her in London last week." He smiled sadly and reached for Blair's hand. "And I left her my estate in my will. I suspected, but didn't know for sure, that everyone thought I was dead. I was trying to start a new life. I got a job with a hotel business that was going bankrupt and the owner let me try to rebuild it. It didn't pay great, but it was enough to put a roof over my head and pay my bills in London," he admitted. "And then I found out about Chase. I…., I just had to see for myself that I had a son. So I came back to see the child."

Serena frowned. "But you're staying now, right?" she asked.

"I'm not sure, Sis," he answered truthfully. "That's something that Blair and I need to decide and work out."

Serena sighed. "You're a full grown man now, Chuck. And you have responsibilities here. What is it that you need to decide?" she asked in frustration. She got up and looked at Blair. "And what about you?" she asked her friend. "Do you want him back in your life?"

"I…., I think we need to talk about things. He just got here last night, S," Blair replied.

Serena shook her head as she looked at the two of them. "I don't think there's anything to discuss. You both obviously still love each other and you have a child together. I think that just about says it all," she said. "But I'm going to leave so you too can figure things out." She looked at Chuck. "I'm glad you're not dead. Can I tell mom you're over here?"

Chuck nodded. "You may as well," he admitted. He was sure that the whole city would know before long anyways.

**XOXO**

"An a squirrel ate da-nut from my han," Chase told his mother and Chuck excitedly a little while later when he came back from the park.

"He tried to pet it, and it ran away from him," Eric admitted with a chuckle. "Chase tried to climb the tree after it, but the branches weren't low enough."

"Chase, Mommy has told you not to touch animals. They're dirty and might bite you," Blair reminded her son as she hugged him to her chest.

"He's a nice squirrel Mamma," Chase argued. "He ated nuts from my han!"

"I'm sure he was sweetheart, she told him. "But you need to be careful, Ok?" She lifted him up and took him into the kitchen to get him some lunch.

While Blair was tending to Chase, Eric and Chuck spent some more time talking.

Chuck told Eric that Serena was going to tell Lily he was at Blair's. But when Eric asked when he'd know if he was staying, Chuck couldn't answer.

"Can you please tell me if you decide you're not going to stay again?" Eric asked his step brother. "I want to be able to say goodbye this time."

Chuck nodded. "I promise," he said. And he meant it, unless he didn't have the chance to.

After Blair had fed Chase, she asked Chuck to put him down for a nap.

Chuck took his son upstairs and read him a story (this time in English) until he noticed Chase's eyes were closing in sleep. He leaned over and kissed the boy on his forehead then covered him up. Goodnight, son," he said softly.

Blair, in the mean time, had gone into her room to lie down and think. She was torn on what to do about Chuck.

On one hand she believed he was going to leave her again. He didn't know if he wanted to be in their lives or not, and that broke her heart. She felt like she should just tell him to go before Chase started to get too attached to him, before she got used to him being with her again.

But on the other hand, she liked having him here with her. He was receptive to helping her with Chase and he was good adult company. They had always been friends, and she had missed that. He just seemed to fit with them. Besides that, he was Chuck and she still loved him.

She thought back to their lovemaking last night and it brought tears to her eyes. She had loved the feeling of his naked skin against hers, the sounds of their love filling the still of the night, and waking up in his arms in the morning. She had missed it. And for the first night in a long time, she hadn't dreamt of him leaving her again.

She really did still love him, regardless of what he'd done to her in the past. He filled that place in her heart that no one else would ever be able to fill. And the thought of him leaving them again was killing her.

"Blair," came a voice at the door along with a gentle knock. "Is everything alright?" Chuck walked into her room and sat beside her on the bed. "Why are you crying?"' he asked.

"I'm confused and overwhelmed," she admitted as she dried her eyes with a tissue.

"About what?" he asked. He lay down beside her and gathered her up in his arms.

"About this, Chuck. About us."

"Oh," he replied. He lay silently for a moment and then asked, "What do you want to happen, Blair?"

She turned around and faced him, settling her head under his chin. "In a perfect world?" she asked.

"Sure," he replied.

"I want all the hurt to be gone and all the doubt, too," she said. "I want to have someone in my life that loves me as much as I love them and who wants to be a father to my son," she confessed. "I want you to want to stay with us, Chuck,"

"I do want to stay with you, Blair. I love you, I always have. And I want to get to know my son," he confessed to her as he rubbed her shoulder. "It's just…"

"It's just what, Chuck?" she asked.

"It's just that I don't know if I can be what you want me to be, Blair. I don't know that I won't hurt you again. I don't know if I'll be a good father to Chase….." He sighed and kissed the top of her head. "I….., I'm scared," he whispered.

"Scared? Of what?" she asked.

"I'm scared of everything about us. It almost killed me when you told me to leave you alone the last time, literally," he admitted. And it was true. In his grief he'd put himself in a position to get shot. The thought made him shudder. "I didn't care if I lived or not when I thought we were over. For the longest time, I really didn't care," he explained. "I don't think I could ever go through that again, I just love you too much."

"I'm scared too," she confessed as she ran her hand across his chest. "Part of me says I should tell you to go now, before you hurt us again. It tells me I should be hurt and angry with you still," Blair admitted. "But the other part of me wants to beg you to stay because you fill up the part of me that's been missing for the last three years. I never realised just how much I missed you until we made love last night," she said as tears started falling again. "I don't what I'll do if I have to go without you again. It's just so overwhelming," she cried.

"Shhhh," he soothed as he stroked her head. "We don't have to decide anything for awhile," he said. "For now, let's just be together and see where it goes, ok?"

Blair sniffed and nodded her head. She sat up and blew her nose. "Alright," she said as she lay down with him again. "We'll just see where it goes." She knew that not deciding to do anything, was really deciding. So she'd give him the chance to stay. Who knew, maybe he'd be able to handle it.

He looked in her eyes and smiled sadly as he leaned in to kiss her mouth. Blair took his face in her hands and deepened the kiss. He slipped his tongue into hers and wrapped his arms around her tighter.

Blair sighed into his mouth as he caressed her back, slipping his hands up her shirt to feel her skin.

"Chuck," she moaned as she felt him growing hard against her hip. She slipped her hands down in front of him and began to unbutton his shirt. She ran her fingers through his silky chest hair.

Chuck got up beside Blair on his knees, pulled her shirt over her head and unzipped her skirt.

Blair slipped out of her skirt as Chuck slid down her stockings. She got up beside him then, undid his pants and helped him pull them off.

Chuck placed his hand under Blair's chin and brought her in for another kiss. Blair shimmied closer to him and wrapped her arms around his back as he deepened it. He brought his hands around to her back as well, and then stroked her from her shoulders down to her bum, cupping her and pulling her in flush against his body.

**A/N: Smut warning…. Read at own risk…..**

Chuck moaned, "Oh God I want you," when Blair arched her pelvis and ground herself against his straining penis.

She ran her hands down the front of them until she had him. She stroked him boldly causing him to buck against her hand.

"Blair," he moaned again as he bit into the curve of her neck. He brought one hand down the front of them and slid it down to her center, moaning once more when he felt how wet she was.

"Mmmmm," Blair purred when he began to handle her.

Chuck adjusted his body until he was lying down. He pulled Blair on top of him.

She adjusted her legs until she straddled him. Blair raised herself up and lowered herself onto him in one fast motion, almost causing him to erupt right there and then. He gasped and held her steady for a moment, until he could compose himself once more. Once he'd regained composure, Blair took control as they made love again.

When they were spent, Chuck held her in his arms against his pounding heart. "I love you," he whispered into her hair. He couldn't fathom ever letting her go again.

They were almost asleep when they heard a noise coming from downstairs.

"Blair? It's Lily. I've come to see Charles!"

**XOXO**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

**A/N:** Anyone else almost hurl when they saw Chuck sleazing up to that Raina troll on the show last night? I'm so totally grossed out, it's not even funny! And then they gave us a 10 second Chair tease! Aghhhhhhhhh! Who are these assholes that are writing this stuff anyways!**  
**

**XOXO  
**

"Blair? It's Lily. I've come to see Charles!"

Blair groaned and pulled the bed sheet up over her head. "Chuck, your mother's here," she said.

Chuck slipped out of bed and slid on his trousers. He walked to the doorway and called, "I'll be down in a minute, Lil." He grabbed his shirt off of the floor and headed out the door as he was buttoning it up.

Lily was more than thrilled to see him. "Oh, Charles, I'm so happy to see you," she cried as she wrapped him up in a deadly hug. "Serena tells me you've been in London for the past few years."

He released himself from her arms. "That's right. I was in Prague for awhile and then I went to London to find work."

"We were worried sick about you, dear, she stated. "Everyone thought you were dead. Well, not everyone," she reconsidered. "Blair was adamant you were alive."

"I wanted to be dead," he confessed to her. "For everything that I'd done. I was sure I wasn't ever coming back."

"Well you're here now and that's all that matters," she said as she patted his chest. "Blair must be thrilled to have you home. Oh! And your son, you must tell me what you think of Chase."

"He's wonderful," Chuck replied with a grin. "Blair's done an amazing job raising him."

"He's so much like you, Charles," Lily said. "Bart used to tell me how active you were as a child. I always thought he was exaggerating until Chase came along."

"Yes, I believe I was pretty active," Chuck replied. He turned when he heard Blair coming down the stairs, looking very much put together in such a short time. He smiled at her.

"Lily," Blair welcomed.

"Blair, you must be thrilled to have Charles home after such a long time."

"Yes, it's nice to have him here again," she admitted.

Lily took Chuck by the hand and led him into the living room. "You must tell me all about London," she urged.

As Chuck talked to his step mother about his time in London, Blair went back upstairs to check on Chase. He was still out for the count, so she covered him up a little more and placed a little kiss on the top of his head before heading downstairs to make them all some tea.

She decided to give Chuck and his step mother some privacy to catch up. She got her briefcase and headed in to her off ice to do a little work.

About an hour later she could hear Chase calling for her.

Blair headed upstairs and took her son into the bathroom for a wash up and a pee.

"Where's Papachuck?" he asked as his mother pulled a clean t-shirt over his head.

Blair smiled at her son. He's downstairs visiting with Nanna Lily," she told him.

Nanna?" he asked. He ran to the staircase and slid down on his bottom, bumping his way down the stairs.

"Nanna!" He called as he ran through the foyer and into the kitchen looking for her. "Nanna Lil!"

"In here Chase," Lily called from the living room.

Chase ran into the living room and flew into his grandmother's lap, planting a sloppy kiss on her cheek. "I waked up!" he told her.

Lily cuddled the little boy on her lap. "I see that. Did you have a nice nap?" she asked.

Chase shook his head. "I can't like naps," he told her with a scowl.

Lily laughed and hugged him closer. "You are my little monkey," she told him.

Chase wriggled off her lap. "No!" he shouted. "I'm Mommy's monkey!"

He ran into Blair's office and climbed up the back of her chair, sliding down her shoulder and onto her lap. "I'm your monkey, right, Momma?" he asked as he up-righted himself and took her face in his hands.

Blair laughed. "You are my monkey," she confirmed as she wrapped her arms around his little body. "Now give Mommy a kiss!"

Chase planted a big kiss on Blair's mouth and wrapped his arms around her neck. As always, he burrowed his head under her hair against her neck.

Blair saved her work on her laptop and shut it down. She lifted Chase up and went into the living room to sit next to Chuck.

Chase crawled from his mother's lap onto Chuck's. He stroked his face. "Where's the whiskers?" he asked his father.

Chuck laughed. "I shaved them off this morning, Chase. They'll grow back tomorrow."

"Oh!" Chase said in amazement as he continued to stroke Chuck's face for a few moments. Then he slid off Chuck's lap and ran into his toy room to play with his fire truck.

They could hear him in the next room "Ding, ding, ding, ding…."

Chuck laughed. His kid was hilarious!

"So Charles," Lily continued. "We'll hold a board meeting in a few days to announce that you're coming back to head the company. I can't tell you how relieved I am to finally be able to step down."

"But Lily, I'm not coming back to Bass Industries," he said.

Lily looked at him as thought he had three heads. "Of course you are, Charles. It's your company."

He shook his head. "I'm only here for a little while right now." He looked at Blair. "I…, I mean we, we need to work things out first."

Lily stood up. She was pissed. "Charles you've been away from home for three years. You have responsibilities here now!" She looked at Blair in desperation. "The only reason we're keeping Bass industries going was so that your son could inherit your legacy. If I knew you didn't care about it, we would have let Jack take it over years ago and saved ourselves a lot of time and energy!"

Chuck looked at Lily in disbelief.

"That's right. Jack+. He wanted to keep the family company going, but out of respect for you, we fought him off so that your son could carry your legacy into the future." She shook her head at him.

"We thought you were dead, Charles," Lily continued. "Do you have any idea what people went through because of you? Did you know that we looked for you for almost a year? Did you know that Blair almost had a nervous break down fighting to save both your estate and your company from that horrid uncle of yours? Did you know that she lost her family, her trust fund, most of her friends, and her dignity because she was carrying your illegitimate child? Did you know that she cried herself to sleep almost every night for the last three years because of you?"

Lily sighed. "I love you Charles. I really do. And I am sincerely glad that you're alive. But if you didn't come here to stay, then you may as well have stayed hidden in London. This is only going to hurt us more. We need you here. Your family needs you to stay!"

She looked sadly at Blair, who now had tears in her eyes once more. "I'm sorry, Blair, but I need to go before I get really angry and say something I don't mean."

"Lily, I'm sorry," Chuck cried as he watched his step mother walk out of the living room.

He turned to face Blair and was startled to see the tears coming down her face. "Blair…., I….," he began.

But Blair couldn't look at him. She just shook her head, got up and fled the room. Lily was right, she thought. If Chuck didn't come home to stay, then he should have just stayed hidden in London. She would have kept his secret safe, and nobody else except her would have ever known the truth.

She grabbed her coat and headed down the elevator before he could stop her. She just had to get away for awhile.

Chuck stared at the elevator in disbelief.

"Where's Momma, Papachuck?" asked his small son.

"She….., she had to go out," Chuck told him.

Chase looked up at Chuck's face with concern. "Why you cryen?" he asked.

Chuck raised his hand up to his face. He hadn't realised tears were streaming down. "I….., I guess I'm sad," he replied to the little boy with a sad smile.

Chase picked up his fire truck and held it out to Chuck. "I'll let you play with my fire truck if you want," he told him.

Chuck squatted down and caught Chase in a big hug. "Thank-you Chase," he told him. "I'd like that."

**XOXO**

On the other side of town, Serena answered the call from her very distressed friend. "Of course I'll meet you," she told her. She turned to her husband. "Can you watch the baby for a couple of hours? Something's the matter with Blair."

"The only thing the matter with Blair, is that Chuck is back," Dan grumbled as he took the cranky baby from his wife. "Sure, go meet her. I'll try and put this one to sleep," he replied.

"Thank-you," Serena cooed as she leaned in and gave him a huge kiss. "I love you."

**XOXO**

As Chuck played with Chase he thought about Lily's words. She was right. What right did he have coming back here if he wasn't going to stay? He looked at Chase and swallowed a lump as he fought back more tears. He still couldn't believe he'd had a part in creating such a beautiful child with the woman he'd loved more than anyone else in the world. And he still loved her. He'd known it all along that he did.

He had spent most of the following evening awake. It had seemed surreal to be lying in her bed, and making love with her again after all of their years apart. And then there she had laid, sprawled across his chest in sleep. He had been afraid to go to sleep, thinking that once he woke up, he'd be back in his suite in London, alone.

It was wonderful to be with Blair once more. But could he stay and resume life again as it had been before he left? He doubted it. His previous life had been wrought with stress. It had turned him into a self absorbed prick. And it had caused him to do horrible things to the one person he'd loved most of all.

He thought again about Lily's words. She had said that Blair had cried for him almost daily since he'd been gone. Could that be true? If she had missed him near as much as he had missed her, then yes, it could very well be.

And Lily had said that Blair had lost her trust fund! He couldn't believe her own mother would disown and then deny her the basic funds to finish up her education and support her child! He'd always known Eleanor was a bitch. But this was ridiculous! It's a good thing she'd had Lily and his estate to help her get through. He shuddered at the alternative. Had she not had Lily and if Jack had have won the rights to the estate, Blair could be living in poverty with Chase right now. Or worse yet, she could have felt pressured to marry Jack so that her son would have a future. The very thought made him want to vomit.

Chuck shuddered and tried to clear his head to pay attention to Chase. They had been playing for a little over an hour. He wondered when Blair would come home.

Chase was piling plastic dinosaurs and army men in his dump truck, preparing to take them for a spin around the penthouse. Chuck smiled when he put a sabre tooth tiger on the ladder of the fire truck Chuck had in his hands. "Follow me!" he commanded as he sped off into the living room.

Chuck followed behind the speedy little guy as they toured the foyer looking for adventure.

Chase scurried into the living room and then stopped by a large window that had several large potted plants in front of it. Chase dumped out his dinosaurs and began sticking them in various plants. "Shhhh," he told Chuck seriously as he raised a finger in front of his lips, "This is the jungle."

Chuck handed him his sabre toothed tiger and fought off laughter as Chased perched the small toy on a lower branch of a small potted fig tree.

"He's a hunter. He's looking for sometin ta'eat," he informed him. Chase jumped up and ran into the kitchen. A minute later he came back with a box of Oreo cookies. He took one from the box and put it in one hand, as the other hand took the tiger and made it jump down on top of an army man. He quickly shoved a cookie in his mouth while making growling noises.

Chuck stared in amazement as his son both growled and scarfed back the cookie at the same time.

"See!" Chase said to Chuck as he wiped off his mouth with his little hand. "He eated him!"

"I see!" agreed Chuck with a big smile on his face.

Chase took another cookie from the box and held it out to Chuck. Then he took a different dinosaur and prepared to attack another army man. "Ok, now you do it!" he told Chuck!

Chuck nodded as Chase made the dinosaur pounce on the little plastic man. He shoved the cookie into his mouth and began roaring, causing crumbs to scatter across the marble tiles.

Chase laughed. "You're messy!" he said as he got another cookie out of the bag. "Dorota's gonna be mad!"

When they heard the elevator bell, Chase ducked in behind the plants and hid. He knew he wasn't supposed to be playing in the plants. And if it was his mother or Dorota on the elevator, he'd be in trouble for sure.

Eric stepped out of the elevator and walked over to where he saw the light on in the living room. "Um, what are you doing down there?" he asked Chuck in amusement when he saw him sitting on the floor with a fire truck on his lap and a box of Oreos beside him.

Hearing his uncle's voice instead of his mother's or Dorota's, Chase burst out from behind the plants and flew across the room to Eric. "Uncaeric, Uncaeric Papa!" He shouted as he began to jump up with his arms stretched over his head so Eric would pick him up.

Eric reached down and scooped up his nephew. "What are you doing behind the plants, Chase?" he asked.

Chase hid his face in Eric's open jacket. "I'se sorry," he mumbled under the cloth.

Eric put him back down on the floor. "Let's get these things out of here before your mom sees where you're playing," he said to his nephew.

"Ok," Chase said in defeat as he loaded the toys back up in his dump truck. "Here, Papachuck," he said as he handed Chuck back the sabre toothed tiger. "He kin ride with you."

"Where's Blair?" Eric asked as Chase disappeared from the living room.

"She took off for awhile," Chuck said sadly. "She got upset when your mother was here and had to leave."

"What happened?" he asked.

"Well Lily said some things to me that she thought I needed to hear and it upset Blair," he said honestly.

"Like what?"

"Like if I wasn't planning on staying, I shouldn't have bothered coming," he commented.

"Oh," Eric said. He didn't know what to say about that. His mother had really made a point.

" know she's right," Chuck agreed. "I probably shouldn't have come. It's just going to hurt Blair again when I leave."

"But I don't get it, Chuck," Eric stated. "Why wouldn't you stay? You love her!"

"I can never be that person again, Eric," Chuck replied. "And if I slip back into my former role, I'm afraid I'll only end up hurting her again. Except this time, I'll hurt Chase too!"

"You don't know that Chuck. You're not the same person anymore!" Eric insisted. "You're all grown up now. You're a man!"

"I know I'm all grown up, Eric. But in London I'm Henry Prince, not Chuck Bass," he said. "I have a middle class salary and live in a hotel. I have one night stands and wear blue jeans and t-shirts," he said. "I don't do million dollar deals, or trade my girl friend to my uncle or have sex with skanky trolls from Brooklyn! I don't want to be that guy again!"

"Then don't," Blair said as she stepped into the doorway. "That guy wasn't the real you either," she said sadly. "I lost the real you after some phoney lady declared herself to be your mother in order to steal your hotel for your uncle," she added. "You let that whole scenario destroyed you, Chuck. And then you let it destroy me, too."

She walked over to Chuck and took him by the hand. "The real you wouldn't have done those things to me," she stated. "I know that."

"I'm so sorry I hurt you," Chuck cried as he wrapped her in his arms. "And I'm so afraid I'm going to hurt you again." He buried his face under her curls brushing the skin of her neck gently with his mouth. "I don't ever want to be like that again," he whispered.

"You won't be," Blair told him. "Chase and I will keep you grounded this time, Chuck. I promise."

Eric cleared his throat. "Um, I think I'll get Chase and take him out for some dinner, if that's ok," he suggested.

"Thanks, Eric," Blair told him.

**XOXO**

Chuck and Blair spent the next couple of hours talking. Chuck ordered some food for them, remembering that besides the cookie, he hadn't eaten all day.

When Eric returned Chase later that evening, the boy ran up to his mother and made an announcement. "Uncaeric learned me to pee standin up!"

"What did he say," Chuck asked in amusement.

"He's telling you that I taught him how to pee standing up," Eric told them. "He had to go to the bathroom and the toilet was occupied, so I taught him how to use the urinal."

"Oh, God, no!" Blair spouted.

"What?" Chuck and Eric both asked at the same time.

"You just taught my child to use that part of his anatomy differently," she said to Eric. "Do you not know who your nephew is? It's be like putting a weapon in the hands of the enemy!"

Chuck laughed at her. "It's something all boys need to learn, Blair. It's good that Eric showed him the alternative. He'd be called a sissy in school if he used the toilet to pee!"

"You're not getting it! He's only two! What I'm concerned about is Chase's overly enthusiastic nature and how he might try to use that thing now that he knows it can be used differently than what he's known!"

Chuck smirked. "Well he is my son, Blair….," he said with a chuckle.

"You just don't want to see your little boy growing up," laughed Eric.

"Argh! Blair screeched. "Both of you are useless!" She looked at Eric and pointed at him. "When this becomes an issue, you're the one I'm going to hunt down and kill."

"Momma, come see!" Chase yelled from the downstairs guest bathroom.

Blair ran into the bathroom and watched her son as he stood up on little stool and proudly peed into the toilet. "I'm a big boy, now!" he announced.

"I see that, sweetheart!" Blair told him. "But you must try not to pee on the toilet seat, ok? It makes a big mess!"

"Like this?" he asked as he adjusted his grip and pee flew all over the seat, the wall and the floor.

"Chase!" Blair snapped. "In the toilet!"

"Is better?" he asked again now that he was hitting the bowl.

"Much!" she answered, cursing Eric under her breath. She left the bathroom and headed into the kitchen to grab something before heading back to the foyer. She passed Eric the roll of bleach wipes she'd grabbed. "Here!" she snapped. "He peed all over the toilet seat, the wall and the floor! This is your fault, so you can clean it up!" she announced as she headed up stairs.

**XOXO**

After the bathroom had been cleaned and Eric had left, Chuck watched as Blair bathed their son, and got him ready for bed. He was touched at what an excellent mother she made. He curled up on the bed beside Chase as Blair read them a couple of stories, one in English, and the other in French.

As Blair read, she gently stroked Chase's curls back off of his face until his eyes finally began to close in sleep. She leaned in and kissed his brow and then looked up at her child's father. "He's out," she said as she closed up the story book and got off of the bed. Chuck leaned over and kissed Chase's forehead too and whispered goodnight to him.

He followed Blair out into the hall. "Now what?" he asked her.

Blair looked at Chuck in surprise. "What do you mean, now what?"

"Well, what do you do after you put Chase to bed?"

She bit back a bitter laugh. "You're kidding me, right? After I get Chase to bed I usually have work to do in my office, or I'm just too exhausted from running around after him all day and I go to bed, Chuck. Being a mother isn't glamorous. It's a lot of work!"

He stepped up behind her and wrapped her in his arms. "Do you ever regret it?"

Blair turned around and looked at him straight in the eye. "Never," she said firmly. "I love Chase more than anything else in the world."

Chuck nodded his head at her and smiled. "Good!" he said, "That's the way it's supposed to be." He planted a soft kiss on her mouth. "Now let's try and find a way to relax," he said as he pulled her into the bedroom.

**XOXO**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

**A/N:** It looks like interest is waning once again on this story. Reviews have dropped another 50%... Is it time to wrap it up? If people are getting bored with this, I will wrap it up in the next chapter. Please let me know. For those of you who have cared enough to take a moment and review, thank you for supporting my work.

**XOXO**

The alarm was beeping for Blair to get up. It was six AM. She sat up and reached over Chuck's body to shut the darned thing off. "Ugh!" she grumbled.

Chuck opened one eye to see Blair slipping on a robe as she headed to the bathroom. "Morning," he said.

"Ugh!" Blair grumbled again. She hated mornings! She brushed her teeth and had a quick pee before heading into the shower.

After a few moments Chuck popped in with her.

"Why are you up, Chuck?" she asked. "You can sleep in as long as you want."

He stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her in close to him. He brushed his lips gently across hers. "Because then I'd miss being able to do this," he said as he kissed her again.

"Oh!" she commented as he grabbed the soap and began to rub his soapy hands along her body. Soon he began to do deliciously sinful things with his tongue! She hadn't remembered how much fun bath time with Chuck could be!

When they finished their early morning play and were both squeaky clean and fulfilled in other ways, Blair pulled Chuck aside. "Two things, ok?"

Chuck looked at her questionably.

"First," she started. "You have to remember that Dorota is very pregnant. Please do not freak her out. Remember she looks after Chase while I'm gone, so let her do her job. Oh, and I will tell her you're here so she doesn't pass out or go into premature labour from fright. You know how much she believes in the occult. She's likely to think you're a phantom and call in an exorcist!"

She looked at him to make sure he comprehended and he nodded with a smirk. "Good!" she commented before continuing. "And second, I'd like you to go over the books and our last fiscal year's reports on Bass Industries."

She looked at him as he began to scowl, and continued before he could protest. "Before you pitch a fit, hear me out. I want you to see what we've been doing and give me some feedback or an opinion or something on what Lily and I have been trying to do, ok?"

Chuck sighed. "I'm really not interested, Blair. It seems to me that you and Lily have things under control without my input."

"Well, thank-you," Blair replied superficially. "But I'd still like some feedback, if you can handle it, alright?" She pecked him on the mouth and headed off to forewarn Dorota that Chuck was in the suite.

A moment later Dorota began calling, "Mr. Chuck! Mr. Chuck!" She flew up the stairs as fast as her overly pregnant body could manage to see him.

She knocked on the bedroom door and wobbled in to hug him before he could even tell her to come in. "Is so good to have you home again, Mr. Chuck. Miss Blair is so happy to see you too!"

"Thank-you Dorota, it's good to see you, too," Chuck replied when the woman stopped hugging the breath out of him. "And I see congratulations are in order once more."

Dorota patted her very pregnant stomach. "This one is little boy," she told him. "Anastasia is wanting a little sister to play with, but will have to wait until next one. She is afraid little brother will be very active, like Mr. Chase."

Chuck laughed. "Yes, Chase is a handful," he admitted.

"Yes, but he is very smart little boy. Miss Blair teaches him well. She is good mother to him," Dorota told him. "But is not enough. Mr. Chase need his Papa too," she said as she looked Chuck in the eye. Finally she patted his shoulder and told him to come for breakfast.

At the breakfast table Chase was happily eating pancakes and bacon. Blair rushed in and gave her son and Chuck both a kiss on the cheek before grabbing a piece of bacon from the table and saying goodbye to everyone.

Chuck sat down across the table from Chase to begin his breakfast. Anastasia looked at him in confusion. "Who's that?" she asked Dorota.

Dorota smiled at her daughter. "That is Mr. Chuck. He is Mr. Chase's Papa."

Chuck's face fell as Dorota made the announcement.

"Chase has a papa?" the little girl asked.

"Of course! All children have a Papa," Dorota said. She pointed to Chuck. "This is Mr. Chase's Papa."

Chase looked up at Dorota in confusion. "My Papa?" he asked her.

Dorota spouted off for a moment in Polish as she pointed back over to Chuck. "Yes, Mr. Chase," she finally settled in English. "This is your Papa!"

Chase looked over at the shocked face of his father. He liked this man. This man played trucks and dinosaurs with him and even ate the cookie for the tyranasaur! This man made his Momma smile and had whiskers he allowed to be stroked and this man didn't yell when he played in the plants. And now this new this man was his Papa! Chase's mouth turned up into a huge smile. He slipped out of his booster chair and ran around the table to Chuck where he reached up his arms, jumped up and down and yelled. "My Papa! My Papa!"

Chuck was stunned, but pushed his chair back to let the frantic little guy to scamper up onto his lap.

Chase wrapped his arms around his father and buried his head in the small of Chuck's neck saying, "My Papa."

Chuck wrapped his arms around his son and held his little body close, fighting hard to keep the tears that were threatening, from falling. "Alright, Chase," he soothed as he rubbed his son's back. "I'm your Papa," he told him.

Blair was going to kill him.

After the realisation that he had a Papa, Chase wasn't happy to let Chuck out of his sight for even a minute for most of the morning.

Chuck remembered that Dorota was in charge and tried to stay out of her way, but the little guy was adamant that he was going to play with his Papa. He finally had a moment's piece when Dorota and Anastasia called Chase to come and make cookies for their snack.

Chuck took that time to go into Blair's office and began looking over the files that she'd left out for him. He read over reports and checked the books and was impressed to see that between Lily and Blair, Bass Industries had been making an impressive profit over the last couple of years. When he was almost finished making a few notes for Blair, he heard Anna yelling something about Chase.

Chuck ran from the office to see what was going on. He met Dorota in the foyer and they both flew into the living room where all the noise was coming from. They both stopped dead in their tracks at the sight in front of them.

There stood Chase standing in front of the planters, proud as he could be while he stood urinating into the plants. "I's watering the jungle!" he announced proudly.

Chuck had to leave the living room before he lost control and burst out laughing.

Dorota began to cuss and curse in Polish while she pulled the peeing boy from the plants and carted him off to the bathroom.

Chase started yelling back at her. "But uncaeric said big boys pee standing up!" Chase insisted as the perplexed woman forced him to sit down on the toilet.

Dorota started to give Chase a half broken English, half Polish lecture about peeing where he shouldn't.

"Przykro nam, Dorota. Nie chciałem być złym chłopcem," Chase replied in Polish when she was finished. He placed his little arms around her neck to show he was indeed sorry for pissing in the plants.

Chuck had finally reappeared in the bathroom doorway just as Dorota and Chase were finishing their conversation. Chuck looked at his son in awe. The kid was speaking Polish!

"See how smart your boy is, Mr. Chuck? I can no longer even curse in Polish around him."

"How did he learn that?" Chuck asked.

Dorota smiled. "When he was a baby and would play with Anastasia, she would talk to him in Polish. I would talk to my daughter in Polish and Mr. Chase just listened to us. But now he can speak some Polish too. He is good with French also. Miss Blair teaches him well."

Chuck nodded. The kid certainly did have his mother's brains, he thought. Hopefully Chase would be better at making decisions in life, than he had in the past.

By the time the kids had eaten their snack and Chuck and Dorota had cleaned up the plants, Blair was soon walking in the door from work.

"Momma! Momma!" Chase called as he bounced up into his mother's outstretched arms. "I watered the jungle!" he told her.

"You did?" Blair replied sceptically. Something about that sentence sounded potentially bad. She looked around. "Where's Chuck?" she asked.

Chase slipped down his mother's body and ran to the bottom of the stairs. "Papa, Papa," he yelled enthusiastically, "Momma's home!"

Chuck emerged from the spare bedroom where he was going through his suitcase looking for something or other. "Oh, hi! How was work?" he asked.

Blair met his gaze with fire. "How could you?" she spat at him. "We discussed this. You know why he wasn't supposed to know!"

"I didn't say anything to him, Blair, I swear!" Chuck defended.

"Then who?" she demanded. And then she cringed. Dorota! Of course, it had to be Dorota! Blair remembered that she hadn't asked her maid to refrain from telling Chase about Chuck. She groaned. "Dorota!" she called as she headed into the laundry room where Dorota was folding clothes.

**XOXO**

After lunch Chuck decided to take Chase upstairs and read to him before his nap. When Blair passed by the door she practically melted when she saw Chase curled up on Chuck's lap, stroking his sparse chin whiskers as Chuck read him a story. The little boy's eyes were almost closed in sleep, yet his fingers continued to touch Chuck's chin.

Chuck looked at Blair as she passed by and winked at her. As soon as his son fell asleep and he had tucked the child in, Chuck joined Blair in her room.

Blair was lying on her stomach, flipping through a magazine.

"Hey," he said as he sprawled out on the bed beside her, also on his stomach.

She looked at him and put the magazine down on the night table. "Hey," she said back.

"I'm sorry about Chase calling me Papa," he told her.

Blair sighed. "I know it's not your fault, Chuck. It's mine," she said. "I should have said something to Dorota this morning. I just didn't think about it."

"Well, if it's any consolation, he seems pretty stoked about it." he added with a smirk.

"I'm sure he is. That's all he's ever wanted," she told him sadly. "But when you decide to leave, he's going to feel abandoned."

"I don't think I can leave," Chuck said quietly.

"What did you just say?" Blair asked him in disbelief.

Chuck looked at her and lifted his hand to tuck a loose curl behind her ear. "I don't think I can leave," he repeated.

"Oh!" she stated as she turned her head to look at him.

"I'm getting too attached to him to leave. I…, I couldn't do that to the little guy. He needs a father."

Blair felt tears welling up in her eye. "Thank you, Chuck," she said.

Chuck scooted closer to Blair and rolled over on his back so his body was flush with hers. "I'll need to make some arrangements and work out the details a bit," he told her. "But I think it's the right thing to do. Besides," he added, "I'm even getting more attached to you."

She leaned in and placed a tender kiss on his mouth. "Good," she told him.

Chuck snaked an arm under Blair and pulled her up on top of his body. He kissed her deeper as he wrapped his arms around her.

Blair slid her hands up into his hair. She stopped kissing him and pulled her head back to look into his eyes. "I love you, you know," she told him.

Chuck smiled at her. "I know you do," he told her as he stroked his hands up her body. "I love you too."

He quickly flipped them over so that he was on top of her. He eagerly began to kiss her now as his hands began to caress her in desperation. Soon he was unzipping her dress and slipping it off of her body.

"Oh, Chuck," Blair purred as his tongue danced across her skin sending wave upon wave of pleasure over her body. Soon her hands were removing his clothes as well, and their bodies became tangled together in love.

When they were finally spent, Chuck gathered Blair in his arms and pulled her in close to him as he curled his body around hers. He burrowed his face under her curls until his mouth came in contact with her neck. "I love you" he whispered to her once again before he drifted off to sleep.

It was a couple of hours later that Dorota pounded on the bedroom door in excitement. "Mr. Chuck, there is important call for you from London on the house phone," she cried urgently. "They say is emergency!"

Chuck flew out of bed and grabbed his robe before running into the hall and downstairs to the house phone. "Hello, this is Chuck Bass," he said.

"Hello Henry, I mean Charles," the man on the phone said with a heavy British accent. "This is William Dalton, Jared Dalton's nephew. There's been a horrible accident at one of the hotels and my uncle has been badly injured. He's asking that you come back to London right away," he stated.

Chuck was dumbstruck. "Oh, my God," he replied. "Is…., is he going to be alright?"

"We don't know," replied William. "He was crushed under some beams in one of the hotels they were renovating when a wall collapsed. He's in intensive care, but he's asking for you to come fast. He knew you were on important business in New York, but said to tell you that he wouldn't ask unless it was important."

"I understand," Chuck said. "I'll get back as soon as I can. Please tell him I'm on my way."

"Thank-you, Henry. I'll let him know."

"It's Charles or Chuck," Chuck told him. "My name's Chuck Bass."

"Alright then, Chuck," William replied. "Thank- you. We'll see you soon."

**XOXO**

"I'm sorry, Blair. But Jared is like a father to me. I have to go and see him," Chuck apologised as he hugged her goodbye.

Blair had insisted he take the Bass jet to London. She hadn't wanted him to go, but understood his need. A tear slipped down her cheek as she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him goodbye.

Chuck brushed the tear away and pulled her in for a hug. "I love you. I'll come back as soon as I can," he promised in a whisper next to her ear.

"Don't go, Papa!" Chase cried as he wrapped his arms around Chuck's legs and squeezed them as tight as he was able to.

Chuck bent down and lifted Chase up. He gave him a big hug and kissed him on the cheek. "I love you, son" he told the little boy. "You be a good boy for your mom and Dorota, ok?"

Chase nodded his head and then burrowed it into Chuck's neck. "Please don't go Papa," he begged again as a little hand reached out to stroke his whiskers.

Chuck hugged him tighter. "I'm sorry, Chase. But I have to go. I promise I'll come back as soon as I can, alright?"

Blair finally pried the crying little boy off of Chuck. She hugged Chase to her breast while she kissed Chuck once more before he checked in. She didn't pay attention to the couple of camera phones pointed in their direction, filming their teary departure. She was just too sad to care. The truth was she doubted she'd ever see Chuck again.

**XOXO**


	14. Chapter 14

_**Chapter 14**_

**A/N:**Hmm, well maybe you aren't ready for it to be over yet! Good to know! The response was enough to motivate me to change course for a moment….. Let me know what you think.

_**XOXO**_

_**Wake up Upper East Siders a new day has risen and apparently so have the dead. Spotted: The late, great Chuck Bass at the airport leaving for London. Who knew he was alive and in town? Well none other than his ex, Blair Waldorf, of course. But it appears that reunion was short lived as well. It seems our dear C. had to fly off to bigger and better things, abandoning his child, his girl and his legacy, once again!**_

_**Gossip Girl**_

_**XOXO  
**_

The paparazzi outside of the Blair's building were out of control. Not since Chuck had been pronounced dead and she'd had to go up against Jack in court, had she seen them this bad! She called Lily to cancel going in to work that next morning after trying to leave the building a second time without success.

Instead Blair attempted to do some work in her office, but was unable to concentrate on anything for more than a moment. She was too heartbroken again. It also didn't help that Chase was pulling at her shirt, demanding to be picked up and cuddled at every moment and asking her, "Where's Papa?"

She finally climbed up the stairs to retreat into her bedroom where she could cry without guilt. But even that didn't help. As soon as she lay on her bed, Chase was whimpering at her door to come in too.

She finally got up and let him in, after all this wasn't his fault and he was too young to really understand. Chase climbed up on the bed and sat down beside his mother. "You sad, Momma?" he asked as he looked at her wet and puffy eyes and face.

"I am, Chase," Blair admitted.

He scooted closer and finally lay down beside her and patted her back. "Where's my Papa," he quietly asked again.

Blair started crying a little harder. "He had to go away, Chase," she told him as she gathered his little body into her arms. "Your Papa had to go away."

"On-a airplane?" he asked.

"Yes, son. He's gone on an airplane," she told him.

"Forever?" he whispered as tears filled his eyes.

Blair looked at her little boy and saw that his heart was breaking. "I don't know," she told him truthfully.

"But I…., I….., I want my Papa!" he bawled as he burrowed his head under Blair's curls and against her neck.

"I know you do, sweetheart," Blair cried as she rocked his little body to comfort him. "I want him too."

**XOXO**

On the other side of the world Chuck was just entering the intensive care unit where Jared Dalton laid hooked up to an impressive amount of tubes and other devices.

"Henry," he greeted weakly. "Thank-you for coming."

"I came as fast as I could, Jared," Chuck replied. "How are you?"

"Well I've been better," the old man said. "They say my insides are torn up pretty good."

Chuck nodded. "Your nephew told me. Are you in pain?"

"Only when the drugs wear off,' he admitted with a grin. "I'm sorry to ask this Henry, but I need you to hold down the fort until I heal or …..die."

"Don't say that, Jared," Chuck stated. "You're going to get better."

"Maybe, but I'm not counting on it," Jared said. "But this hotel chain needs someone to keep it going until something changes. And It has to be you. William isn't ready for it yet. He's taking over the group when I can't anymore. But you'll have to show him the ropes first. I know this is interfering with your plans in New York. Did you see your son?"

"I did, He's wonderful," Chuck said fondly. "Thank -you for encouraging me to go back. It was the right thing to do."

Jared nodded with a weak smile. "And Blair?"

"I love her even more than I did before," he admitted.

"Good. I really am sorry for cutting your visit short. I hope she's ok with you being here,"

Chuck cringed. He knew Blair was upset about leaving after such a short period of time together. "She understands," he told him honestly.

"But she wasn't happy about it, was she?" he asked.

"Don't worry about it, Jared," Chuck insisted. "I'll stay as long you need me to. You're like a father to me."

He nodded his head and closed his eyes. He had been talking too much and was exhausted.

"I'm going to go to the office and work for awhile, ok?" Chuck asked the old man.

Jared nodded his head and crinkled his face up in pain.

"I'll come by later tonight, he told him. "And I'll have the nurse bring you some pain meds before I go."

Jared said nothing as Chuck got up and headed to the nursing station. He was going to be in London far longer than he'd originally thought.

**XOXO **

Later that night on the other side of the globe, Blair put her son to bed and collapsed in exhaustion in her jetted tub. She closed her eyes and put her head back trying to forget the events of the last 24 hours. She had been devastated about Chuck's return to London, for sure. And Chase's response had been horrible.

Chase had been moody and tearful all morning. When Dorota took him and Anna to the park he had clonked a noisy kid in the sandbox over the head with his fire truck and told him to shut up! Later in the afternoon, when Dorota had tried to put him down for his nap, he bit her on the arm.

Blair was aware that Chase's bad behaviour was likely the result of him missing his newly acquired Papa… but there was little she could do about it beside show him that he was loved. She had spent hours throughout the day trying to play with him and finally just got him ready for bed. She rocked him in the rocking chair he'd had as a baby until he finally just fell asleep.

As she climbed into bed by herself that night she began to sob at the losing Chuck once more. She clutched her pillow to her chest and let her pain and sorrow flow. When she finally slept she began to have dreams about him again. And just like those dreams she'd had before, he left her again to raise their son alone.

**XOXO**

Chuck worked through the night in Jared's office stopping only once to go back to the hospital to visit the old man. Jared was resting comfortably and didn't even acknowledge his presence. Finally he just left to go and grab a quick meal and then head back to work.

Chuck didn't dare go back to his suite and sleep. He knew the emptiness of the room would practically kill him. Instead he worked until dawn and then headed to the construction nightmare that was once the hotel they'd been renovating.

It was literally a disaster area. Chuck put on a hard hat and entered the area cautiously to evaluate the damage first hand. He knew there was a structural engineer coming later that morning to survey the damage and assess the area. Chuck hoped that the remaining walls were deemed safe and the rest of the hotel could be salvaged. They had spent an awful lot of money trying to restore the building, to lose it now.

Chuck worked through that day and most of the evening until he was almost falling asleep from exhaustion. After stopping to see Jared again for a short visit, he dragged his weary body back to the hotel, hit the shower and finally bed.

But despite the exhaustion he felt, it was hours before he was able to fall asleep. All he could do was lay and think about the woman he loved more than anything else on the planet and the child he'd left behind in New York.

**XOXO**

Bair hadn't heard from Chuck since he'd said goodbye at the airport several days ago. It was now Saturday, and Blair was feeling really depressed. Lily and Rufus had asked Blair to bring Chase over for their regular weekend brunch. And although she really didn't feel like it, she went out of respect for Lily.

Blair hadn't seen anyone else all week. Outside, the apartment building was still swarming with paparazzi, desperate for an interview, so her friends didn't even bother to try and come by.

Not that Blair would have wanted them to drop in anyways. She didn't want to have to tell people that Chuck was MIA once again, although they all likely knew from the Gossip Girl blast. It was humiliating and the thought of telling other people about it only brought her greater grief.

She had, however, explained what had happened with Chuck, to Lily. His stepmother was even more sceptical than her that he'd come back. The older woman suspected he'd been relieved to have found an easy excuse to disappear once more.

Lily had told Blair to take some time off work if she needed to grieve, but Blair refused, stating that hard work had always been one way for her to combat stress. Blair hired a security guard to help get her out of the building in the morning to go to work the second day that he'd been gone again. By the time the weekend came around, she was beat!

This was the first time that she had seen or talked to her any of her friends since before Chuck had left.

As they sat at the table to begin their meal, Blair felt sympathetic eyes watching her from around the table. It made her fidgety and she couldn't eat. "I'm not very hungry," she said to Lily when asked why she wasn't eating.

"Blair, you have to eat," Serena told her.

"Maybe I will later, Blair replied as she pushed the plate in front of her.

She turned to look beside her to watch her son practically shovel the food into his mouth. Case loved breakfast, especially when there was bacon and eggs and a heaping of tater tots.

Blair had placed Chase at the end of the table as far away from Dan Humphrey as she could, lest the small child annoy him. But Chase was not having a good week and had been finding it difficult to behave himself no matter where he was.

He had recently discovered that if you placed an item on the handle of a spoon or fork while it was on the table, and then hit the end of the utensil (that you normally put in your mouth) with your hand, the object could be catapulted through the air at some very impressive distances.

So when he'd had enough of his delicious breakfast to eat, Chase rolled a few of his tater tots around in his leftover egg yolk and then rapidly launched three of them in a row with his new toy.

One tater tot hit the wall behind Rufus's head. Another landed in Dan's hair. The final one landed in Dan's orange juice, causing it to splash both him and Serena.

"Hurrah!" shouted Chase and he clapped his hands in glee at his successful launch. "To the moon Alice! To the moon!" he chanted, mimicking a funny TV character from an old show that Dorota watched.

"Chase!" Blair shouted as she quickly confiscated the utensils. She noticed he had another five tots ready to go!

"Can we not have one brunch without that kid?" Dan snapped as he stood up and began to pull egg yolk and tater pieces out of his hair, and wipe orange juice off his shirt.

"Dan, that's Lily's grandchild!" Rufus reprimanded. "He's a part of this family."

"There is no one in this family that he's related to," Dan argued. "Even Chuck wouldn't claim him."

Blair was livid! She walked up to Dan and slapped him hard across the face "How dare you speak about my son like that!" she yelled. "You are a pathetic excuse for a man and father!" she told him.

"I'm a better father than the one he has!" Dan sneered as he rubbed his cheek.

"Blair couldn't help herself, so she slapped him again. "You better watch it Humphrey," she warned. "It's Bass money that pays your income. When Chuck comes back and hears how you've spoken about him and his son, you'll be on the street!"

Dan laughed at her. "You really are stupid if you think that Chuck's ever coming home again!"

Blair smirked. "Maybe I'm wrong, Humphrey. But maybe I'm not. I guess we'll just have to see, wont we?"

"Will you two stop it," Lily interrupted. She placed a hand on Blair and suggested she go into the living room where Serena and Eric where visiting with the recently arrived Vanessa.

Then Lily looked at Dan and shook her head. "Blair's right," she said. "It's Bass money that pays your salary. I'm not going to fire you, but Chuck will if he does decide to return. You'd be smart to stop while you're ahead. And stop pitting yourself against a two year old. It really isn't becoming!"

While Lily was lecturing Dan, neither of them noticed Chase standing behind Dan listening in on the conversation. He wasn't exactly sure what they were talking about, but he knew it had something to do with him, his Momma and his Papa. His words were mean again and he didn't like this man any more. He had seen his mother strike Dan across the face and had sensed her anger towards the man too.

That was the first violence Chase had ever seen in real life between adults that weren't on TV or in cartoons. It was cool! When Lily had finished blasting Dan, Chase knew that Dan was in further trouble from his Nanna!. Now he wanted some action too. So he grabbed a hold of Dan's pants and sunk his teeth into the back of Dan's leg as hard as he could.

"Jesus Christ!" yelled Dan as he tried to jerk his leg away from the toothy child.

When Chase saw Dan bending down to grab him, he let go and ran like hell into the living room, onto his mother's lap, and then behind her body.

Dan ran after the little demon, cursing a blue streak. "That kid just bit me!" Dan shrieked.

Blair smirked. "Well what do you expect him to do Dan, you insulted him?" Blair snapped back.

Chase was still huddled behind his mother's back, hiding. Eric, Serena, Vanessa and Blair all glared at Dan. Why couldn't he just leave the child alone? Finally Dan just turned around and stormed out of the room, cursing another blue streak under his breath.

When it was quiet, Chase came out from hiding.

"Chase, you know you shouldn't bite people, right?" Blair asked.

"Mommy, he was being mean!" Chase explained.

"I know honey. But I want you to leave Dan alone now, ok? You stay in here and play or sit here nice with mommy, ok?"

"Ok, Momma," Chase agreed as he put a kiss on her lips. "I love you." he said and he plunked down on Blair's lap, content to just sit and be held for a moment.

"I love you too, sweetheart," she reassured him.

"He's so cute, Blair!" Vanessa cooed as she watched the little guy loving his mom. "I hope I have a little boy one day too," she mused.

"Aunt Nessy, you have a little boy?" Chase asked her.

"Not yet, Chase. But I hope to one day," she replied.

It was no secret among them that Vanessa still pined over Nate. But Nate was chasing after Blair. Vanessa was grateful that Blair wasn't receptive to his advances, hoping that Nate would soon grow tired of Blair and fall into her arms instead. She had come by the Van der Bass Humphrey house today in hopes that Nate would come looking for Blair, as he often did on Saturdays after brunch.

Vanessa reached for her purse and pulled out her compact and some lipstick. She opened the mirror and began to put on the makeup.

Chase watched in fascination as she smeared the tube of red stuff on her mouth.

When she was done, Vanessa put her items back into her purse and looked at Chase's amazed face. "Do you like my new lipstick?" she asked him.

Chased leaned in and looked closely at her mouth for a moment and then sat back up straight. "It's kinda hairy!" he told her honestly.

Vanessa gasped at the comment as everyone else tried hard not to laugh.

"Um, maybe I should get Chase home for his nap….," Blair commented as she lifted the little boy up and carted him into the hall to get his shoes. "Before he gets into any more trouble today!"

**XOXO**

Later that evening on the other side of the globe, Chuck lay on top of his bed waiting until he knew Chase would be asleep to make the call to New York. He hadn't spoken to Blair since he'd left and he missed her. It seemed unreal that he'd been there last week, holding her in his arms.

**XOXO**

Blair had just retreated to her room for the night when the call came. She hoped it wasn't Nate again. He'd been trying to talk her into letting him come over since he heard that Chuck had left for London again. But her call display registered an unknown number. "Hello," she said hesitantly.

"Blair," Chuck replied. "I miss you."

Blair felt tears immediately begin to fall down her face. "I miss you too. When are you coming home?" she sniffed.

Chuck knew she was crying and it made his gut twist. "Please don't cry," he asked her.

"I can't help it Chuck. I want you to come home."

"I can't right now," he admitted. "Jared's still in pretty bad shape. He had to have surgery the other day for an infection. They had to cut out a piece of his bowel."

"I'm sorry," Blair sighed. She felt sorry for the kind old man but she really wanted her man back home.

"I'm sorry too," he admitted. And despite the discomfort he had felt being in New York. He really did want to be by her side.

It was silent for a moment on the phone.

"How's Chase?" he finally asked.

"He's had a rough week," she replied.

"What happened?"

"He misses his daddy, Chuck. I told you that it was going to happen. He doesn't understand why you've left him and it's coming out in his behaviour."

Chuck felt another twist in his stomach. "I'm really sorry about that, too," he said to her

Blair shook her head. "Sorry doesn't help," she told him. "We need you here."

"I…., I can't right now," he told her. "I have to train Jared's nephew before I can leave."

Blair was stunned. "How long?" she asked him. "How long is that going to take?"

"I…., I don't know. Blair," he replied honestly. "Jared's bad. It could be awhile."

"I can't do this again," she cried.

"Do what?" he asked in a panic.

"Wait around for you to maybe come home or maybe not," she cried, the tears falling much heavier now. "I've been waiting for the last three years for that! And so has your son. I can't do it anymore, and neither can he!"

"Blair!"

"I'm sorry Chuck," Blair stated. "It's just too hard. I told you I can't do this again." She hung up and switched her phone off in case he tried to call back. If he wasn't in a hurry to get back to her, then to hell with him!

Chuck tried several times to call her back, but it just went to her voicemail each time. He punched the wall in frustration. He didn't know what to do.

**XOXO**

For the next few weeks Chuck put his head to the grindstone at the office and the hotel, and worked William near to death to get him ready to take over the business.

Jared's health fluctuated for while and then finally became stabilized. He was moved from intensive care to a surgical ward.

The foundation and remaining structure of the hotel had been assessed as being safe, so renovations on it continued. A new wall, built out of some matching ancient stone Chuck had located somewhere, was built to replace the wall that had collapsed on Jared. The beams had been installed and they were almost back to where they should have been with the project. He was working around the clock to get things settled enough so he could go back to the UES.

But Chuck hadn't been able to reach Blair in that time. She refused to take his calls and wouldn't open her e-mail from him either. He tried calling Lily to talk to her, but she hung up on him too. He was so desperate to know what she was doing that he re-subscribed to Gossip Girl and began following her from there. But there was little to no news to follow there except rumours that Nate had stepped up his courting of her. And this made Chuck nervous.

**XOXO**

Back on the other side of the world, things weren't going much better for Blair. She was so depressed and emotionally exhausted that she could hardly get up in the morning most days. Her appetite had begun to suffer greatly and she began to lose weight again.

It didn't help that Chase was being a demon. He was wearing them all out. Soon Dorota requested time off to rest and get ready for the impending birth of her second child. Blair couldn't deny her the reasonable request. But without her there to watch Chase, Blair was stuck at home. She refused to hire a nanny.

She attempted to do some of her work from Bass Industries there, but had little success with Chase demanding her attention all the time. Since the paparazzi had finally backed off, Blair was able to take him outside to the park every day. She attempted to make him run around like crazy to wear him out, just so she could get some work done when she put him down for his nap. But that idea didn't work very well. By the time she put the tired little boy down for a nap, she needed one too! She was worn right out!

Finally, Blair went to her doctor to get some anti depressants, hoping that that they would help her get over her grief and give her the energy she needed to get some work done.

The physician did a routine exam, asked her some questions about her mental health and ran a standard blood panel on her. When he informed her that she tested positive for being pregnant, Blair burst into tears. The bastard had done it to her again!

**XOXO**

**A/N:** some of you were expecting this? For others, a shock? Let me know what you think… keep me going!


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

**A/N:** …..And no Bunny (anonymous viewer)…. Blair WILL NOT be getting rid of this baby! And as for her whining and snivelling… she has the right to be distressed. She is human, not some kind of masculine super freak! And just because she's crying a lot doesn't mean she's weak. It means that her heart has been broken again as would most women's be, weak and strong alike! And if you are sick of how I am writing my characters, then please read something else, because most everyone else actually likes this story! Geeesh!

**XOXO**

Blair was in a state of shock for the rest of the day. Why hadn't she thought about birth control when she was with Chuck for those few days? She could think of a few reasons: She hadn't been prepared for his homecoming, so no time to think about that sort of thing. She'd been on the pill for years when they were together before, so she never had to worry about it before. And because the sex was a spur of the moment thing and he was Chuck. Once the passion took over, her brains went to shit! They had always seemed to lose themselves with each other once anything physical happened between them. It was just the way they were together. But now she was going to have to pay the consequences for that passion again.

She had the cab driver stop by the park so she could take Chase for a big play before she headed for home. The cool air seemed to give her some more energy and clear her head a little.

As she pushed Chase on the swings she was able to put a few things in perspective. She needed a plan, plain and simple. She couldn't deal without structure in her life, and right now things seemed to be spiralling out of control again.

When she put Chase down for his nap after feeding him some lunch, she called Dorota and asked her to come for a visit. As Vanya was working evenings, the woman could leave Anastasia at home with him.

The two women shared some tea and visited for awhile before Blair brought up the reason for the visit. After chatting with Dorota, she was surprised to find out that they would be inducing her labour the following week if she didn't go into labour on her own.

"Dorota, I need to ask you a favour," Blair finally said when the chit chat between them had died down.

Dorota looked at her sceptically. Blair's favours usually meant Dorota would be put in some bizarre role or compromising position, and she was way too pregnant for that to happen!

"I need you to recommend a housekeeper while you're off on your maternity leave. Someone who will be able to handle Chase while I'm at work," she said.

"I thought you no want any one else to replace me?" the large woman said, fighting back tears.

"No, Dorota, it's nothing like that," she said as she reached out to grasp the distraught woman's hand. "I have to be able to go back to work for awhile, and I can't manage him on my own right now," she admitted. "It would only be until you can come back. After all, you're family."

Dorota smiled. Thank God she wasn't being replaced. But then she frowned. Something must be off. This wasn't like Blair. "What is wrong, Miss Blair?"

Blair looked up at her maid and tears filled her eyes. "I'm pregnant, Dorota," she relayed.

Dorota's eyes got big. She started to cuss Chuck in Polish. "Mr. Chuck need to have balls cut!" she finally stated in English.

"Dorota!" Blair laughed. "Mr. Chuck wouldn't appreciate you wanting to rid him of one of his favourite anatomical parts! But you do have a point. I can't believe he got me pregnant again!" she sobbed. "And then left again, too!"

"Is like history repeating self!" Dorota agreed. "I will ask my friends, and call my family to see if I can find you temporary help. "The money would be good, yes?" she asked.

"The money would be very good!" Blair stated. She'd pay a fortune if she had to, but she needed to be able to keep herself busy so that she didn't dwell on her current situation. Besides, she really did need help with Chase.

"I am sorry I can't help you now," Dorota admitted. Blair was family to her and if was capable, she'd love to be there to help and comfort her.

"I know, Dorota, but you can't for awhile." Blair had known that Dorota was going to take some time off with the baby coming. But she'd believed she'd be able to do a lot of her work from home while looking after Chase for those few weeks. But unfortunately Chase was really out of sorts and she was plain exhausted. She really did need help. "You really do need a few weeks to look after your baby and yourself."

"Are you going to tell Mr. Chuck about baby?" she asked.

"Why, so that he can run further away?" she asked sarcastically.

"He is the Papa… he should know about this child," Dorota stated.

"He's also the Chase's Papa, and he's not here for him. What makes you think he'd come back for another one?"

"Because he loves you, Miss Blair," Dorota insisted as she squeezed Blair's hand. "If he knew you need him here, he would come home."

"He knows I need him here," Blair cried. "I told him already. And I'm not going to beg! And I want him to come home because he wants to be here with us!"

Dorota shook her head in sadness. It amazed her how Blair and Chuck could continue to hurt each other, when they obviously loved each other so much.

**XOXO**

Later that evening, Blair was surprised to hear the elevator bell announcing a visitor. She left the playroom and was surprised to see Nate standing in the foyer.

"Grab your coat. I'm taking you out to dinner," he told her.

"But Chase…," she started.

"Chase can come with us. I want to spend some time with you and you've been avoiding me for weeks," he stated.

Blair nodded. She really did want to get out of the house for awhile, even if it was with Nate. At least with Chase along, it was unlikely that he's try to make a move on her. "Fine," she said. "I'll get him ready."

"Uncanate, I can't like peas!" Chase stated when Nate asked him why he wouldn't finish his dinner. "They're yucky!" And to prove his point, Chase launched one across the dining room with his spoon.

"Chase!" Blair warned. "What did Mommy tell you about that?"

Chase looked down at his lap with a scowl. He was in trouble again. "But I can't like peas, Mommy!" he whined. He looked up to see Blair scowling at him. "Ok then, I know. I can't play with my food, right?"

"Right. That's better. Thank-you," she told her son.

Nate laughed. He really did like the little guy, even if he was the spitting image of his father. "So, Serena tells me you haven't been at work for awhile. What's going on?" he asked."

"Well Dorota's off waiting for her baby to come and someone has to stay home with Chase," she replied simply.

"Why don't you hire a nanny?" Nate asked.

"Because I don't want to have anyone else raising my child, Nate," she answered. "But, Dorota is going to find someone to help out around the house and to watch Chase for the morning so I can go back to work."

Nate looked at Blair. She looked exhausted. "You look tired," he said. "Are you sure nothing else is going on?"

Blair looked over at Nate and smiled. It really was sweet the way he was always so concerned about her. "I'm just tired, Nate," she told him.

He reached over and took her hand in his. "You know I'd help you if you'd let me," he said.

"I know you would, Nate," she said as she pulled her hand back. "You're a good friend."

"You know I want to be much more that that, right?" he asked. "I love you, Blair. I want to look after you and Chase."

She nodded her head. "I know."

"Then let's try to work this out. We used to be so good together. And we could be again." He reached for her hand. "Think about it, ok?"

She nodded again. "All right, Nate. I promise I'll think about it."

**XOXO**

It was well after midnight when the Gossip Girl blast came displaying the picture of Nate holding Blair's hand in the restaurant. Chase was sitting across the table from them, and Blair didn't look happy. In fact she looked like she might be ill. She appeared much thinner then when he'd seen her weeks ago, like she might not be eating properly, or like her bulimia might have returned again.

Chuck's gut twisted in dismay and he thought he might throw up. He was temped to throw in the towel and just tell William he'd have to figure things out for himself. But Jared was depending on him and if he kept his focus, he'd be ready to go back to the UES, and to Blair and his son in a couple of more weeks.

If only Blair would take his calls, he thought. He had stopped trying to call her every day and was only calling once a week now, but only on weekends.

He thought back the conversation they'd had during his short visit. _ 'If you decide you don't want us, Chuck, then I'll have to find someone who does,_' she'd told him. Chuck knew that Nate wanted her, and the idea of them uniting was horrifying to him. And then he knew, if Blair felt abandoned again she may very well accept a proposition from Nate. '_I can't live my life alone any more. It's too hard on both of us! Chase wants a daddy so badly!' _she had told him. He tried to swallow back the bile he felt rising in his throat. But he couldn't stop it. Quickly he flew to the bathroom and began to vomit in the toilet. If he didn't hurry he may lose them both!

**XOXO**

The next day on the other side of the planet, Blair's secretary gladly took Chase for some ice cream while Blair sat in Lily's office and talked to her. Blair explained her inability to complete work at home and her need for a new temporary housekeeper.

Lily was fine with her taking a few more days off work if she needed. But it was the next piece of news that sent her reeling.

"I'm pregnant again, Lily," Blair informed her quietly.

Lily looked up with a startled expression on her face. "No!" she snapped. "Chuck?"

Blair nodded as tears welled up in her eyes. "Yes," she admitted.

"Did you tell him?" Lily asked.

Blair shook her head. "No. I…., I don't think I can."

"Why not, Blair?" she asked. "Then maybe he'd come home. "

"I doubt it. Besides, he already knows he has one child here. What difference would a second one make to him?"

"I don't know, but I think you ought to try," Lily argued. Then she thought for a moment. "Are you thinking of getting rid of this baby?" she asked.

Blair's head snapped up and she scowled at Lily. "How can you even ask that? I thought you supported me!"

"I do, Blair, I do support you. But you can barely handle Chase. How are you going to manage another one?"

"I don't know. But I won't abort this baby."

Lily nodded. She understood Blair's predicament. She had been on her own and pregnant at a young age too. It was horrifying. She sighed. "Well I think we need to consider something, then," she said firmly.

Blair looked at the older woman. "What?" she asked with concern.

"You know I want you to take on the company full time as soon as Chase is old enough to go to school. But if you are trying to raise two children, you are not going to have the time to do that for a long, long time."

Blair looked at her and nodded. Lily was right. Unless she had full time nanny care, she wouldn't be able to handle Bass Industries. It was just too much.

"Well, I want to be done, Blair. The only reason I kept involved with the company was because of Chuck, and then because of you and Chase. But now it's going to be too much." She shook her head. "I know you're not going to like it, but I think we need to begin renegotiating with Jack again."

Blair looked at her in shock. "Are you kidding?" she asked. "We fought over this in court not that long ago."

"I know we did. But he's Chase's family and this might be the only way to keep the business going so that one day, the boy can inherit it. It's worth considering," she argued. "Besides, you know how much he wanted to marry you before. Maybe he'd still be willing to adopt both kids and make you his wife."

Blair looked at the woman in disgust. "How can you even suggest such a thing after what he did to you, Lily? I hate him! The thought of Jack even just touching me again makes my skin crawl, let alone me having to share a home and a bed with him!" She began to bawl at the mere thought.

"I know it does. But sometimes you have to put your feelings aside and do what's best for your children. Jack could provide a proper and stable home for them. And if he adopted them, they'd be in line to keep the business in the family, in the future." Lily justified.

Blair nodded her head through her tears. So she did have options , but none that she liked. She could abort the baby and continue on as she had been until Chase was in school in a few years. She could sell the company and marry Nate, but then her children would not get the family business that they were entitled to. Or she could sell the company to Jack, marry him and let her children have the future they were entitled to.

What choice did she have, she thought. Her son and this unborn baby meant the world to her. They were all she had and had to be her priority. And they had the right to a bright future. She had to do what was best for them, despite her own wants and needs. She wiped the tears from her eyes and nodded again.

As Blair got up to leave the office, Lily told her, "I'll make the call."

**XOXO**

**A/N: **ewwwwwwww!….Anyone expecting that? I'm expecting a few freak outs over this. But please remember to have faith!


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

**A/N: **Thank you to all of you who have the faith in my writing to trust that I will always make things right. I knew some of you would wig out over this last development, but wow! Also I realize that this is somewhat OOC for Blair, but in a situation where she's that desperate, it's hard to say exactly what she'd do. Besides, this is a totally AU story, so whatever... So now that I've stirred up the shit…..

**XOXO**

For the next couple of days Blair remained in bed, only getting up to take care of her son. She was too depressed to eat or do much of anything else.

But on the second night after she'd put Chase to bed, Blair received a frantic visit from Serena.

"Blair, what are you doing in bed? People have been trying to reach you for days! Are you sick?"

"Well in a manor of speaking, yes," she answered. And although she had no physical ailments, she was ill thinking of the possible decision she would probably have to make.

"Well what's wrong with you?" her blond friend asked.

"Is there a reason why you're in here depriving me of sleep?" Blair rudely asked.

"Fine!" Serena snapped. "Then I'll just relay the message. Vanya called. He's tried to reach you all day. Dorota went into labour this morning and is having a really hard time with it. She's been asking for you."

"Oh my God! Why didn't you say so?" Blair cried. "Can you watch Chase so I can go and see her?"

"That's why I'm here. Now hurry up and get dressed," Serena suggested.

It only took Blair a few minutes to pull herself together and have the car brought around. She was at the hospital within half an hour.

She met Vanya at the nursing station. "Thank God you're here, Miss Blair. Dorota is not doing so well. They say she will have a have caesarean if baby doesn't flip soon. He is breech," he told her.

Blair rushed into the room and sat by Dorota's side. The woman was panting and groaning as she struggled in childbirth. It made Blair want to cry to see her in such distress. "Dorota, I'm here," she said. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Not unless you can make baby turn other way," she grunted.

"What are the doctors saying?" she asked Vanya who had just returned to the room.

"They say they will try to turn child once more, but if not successful, then they will take him other way." She cried.

A few minutes later, Dorota's OBGYN came in to check on her again. "Are you ready to try again, Dorota?" he asked her.

Dorota nodded and got up on her hands and knees. The doctor began to attempt to turn the child inside of her by forcefully manipulating the outside of the stomach.

Blair watched in horror at the pain that was registered on Dorota's face.

"He's not moving," the doctor stated.

"Can you try again?" Blair asked. "Maybe there's something else we can try."

"You think we haven't tried everything? What else can we do?" He asked sarcatically.

"Dorota, do remember the time we took that crazy work out class?" she asked

"Yes, teacher small like bird, but had voice like George Burns!" Dorota recalled.

"Exactly! Remember the cat stretch and thrust motion she made us do?" Blair asked.

"The one she said was good for pelvic floor control and better pleasure in bed?"

"That's the one," Blair laughed. "Do you think you can try it if the doctor tries to flip the baby again?"

"Is this some kind of joke?" the doctor asked.

"No, it's a method of opening up the pelvic floor. It just might make things easier for you to turn him," Blair suggested.

"Well, alright," the doctor agreed. "We'll try once more, Dorota. But if he doesn't turn this time, you have to have a C-section. Aright?"

"Thank-you doctor," Dorota said as she warily climbed back up on her hands and knees again.

"Ok, Dorota, arch, tilt and curl!" Blair coached.

As Dorota assumed the position the doctor began to try to manipulate the baby once more. After a moment, it seemed to work and the child flipped.

Dorota breathed a sigh of relief. Vanya helped her back down onto the bed and the doctor checked her again. Everything looked normal. The child was in the correct birthing position. "Ok, Dorota, when you feel the next contraction, I want you to push," he said.

For the next twenty minutes Dorota pushed until finally she gave birth to her second child. They named him Viktor, after Dorota's late grandfather. The baby was huge at slightly under twelve pounds!

After they checked and cleaned him, Blair held the baby as the nursing team cleaned up Dorota and Vanya went to call family and friends.

"He is beautiful," Blair told the new mother as she stroked the infants soft cheek. "But I can't believe something that big ever came out of you!"

"Believe!" she said. "I never be the same again after that one!"

**XOXO**

When Blair finally went back to her penthouse, she told Serena about the event at the hospital.

"I can't believe the baby was that big!" Serena stated in amazement. "Amy was only seven ponds and I thought I was going to die! That's almost twice the size!"

"Well Chase was almost nine, and that almost tore me in half," Blair recalled. "I still can't believe how she did it!"

The friends sat and reminisced about their own deliveries and Blair began to think about the new infant that was now growing inside of her. Was it another boy, or maybe a little girl this time? Would the child look like its father again, or would this one look like Blair? Would the child be as active and mischievous as Chase was, or would it be mild and gentle?

But thinking about her unborn child brought the reality of her predicament back to her mind again and she became sullen.

"What is it, Blair?" Serena asked when she noticed the mood change in her friend.

"I think I just want to go to bed, Serena," Blair said to her. "Thank you for watching Chase and letting me know about Dorota."

"Blair, I know something's wrong. What's the matter?" Serena asked again.

"Nothing you can help me with, so don't worry about it," Blair told her as she made her way back up to her room. Her fate was practically sealed.

**XOXO**

The next morning as Blair finally got Chase settled in the playroom watching a video, Lily showed up at the penthouse with Jack Bass.

Blair's heart went into overdrive as she looked at the face of the man she blamed for breaking her and Chuck up in the first place years ago.

"Hello Blair," he smarmed. "Lily suggested we come by and talk."

"Jack," Blair acknowledged as she ushered them into the living room.

After they were seated, Lily began to talk. "I discussed our conversation from the other night with Jack. He is willing to buy Bass Industries for a reasonable price, the funds of which will go into your account of course."

Blair nodded. "I'd like my lawyer involved in the negotiations before I agree to anything," she said.

Lily stood up to leave. "I think you're making the right decision, Blair. For everyone," she said. She turned and looked at Jack. "I'll leave you to discuss your other business in private," she said as she headed to the elevator.

Blair's eyes grew huge and her stomach knotted when Jack got up and moved over to the chesterfield where she sat. He sat down sat beside her. She quickly scooted further over to avoid his touch.

"Now, Blair, there's no need to be shy. You know how much I like you. And I'm really sorry things have come down to this," he stated.

"I'm sure you are," Blair replied sarcastically.

"I really am. It's hard to see you so vulnerable. Well, my offer still stands, despite there being another kid in the mix."

Blair looked at him in disbelief.

"Don't worry. Lily told me all about Chuck's revival and departure, and your new little problem. I should have known the coward wasn't dead in the first place. But I never thought he would turn his back on his own kids," he sneered. "That's too low even for me!"

Blair's eyes began to fill with tears as he spoke. Jack slid up to her and put his arm around her shoulders, making her shudder.

"It's ok, Blair. There's an easy answer here. I'm willing to accept both kids as my own. Hell, if we do this fast enough; people will even believe the second one is mine. You wouldn't even have to go through all that humiliation again," he told her.

Blair cringed. The very thought made her want to vomit; only she had nothing in her stomach to puke! "I'm not sure, Jack. I…., I need to think about things and talk with my layer first," she told him.

Jack smiled and stood up. "You take as long as you need, Blair. But don't take too long," he laughed. "Things aren't very obvious right now, but they will be soon," he said as he motioned to her stomach. "The quicker we seal the deal, the smoother it will be. Besides, it's the only way to ensure your kids will have the future they should have," he stated. He leaned over and kissed the top of her head before he headed to the elevator. "I'll be in touch," he stated before he left.

As soon as he had gone, Blair burst into tears. She was crying so hard that she didn't hear Nate enter the foyer and come into the living room. He took one look at Blair and flew over beside her on the couch.

He startled Blair, who yelped at his touch.

"Blair, it's ok. It's me," he soothed as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest.

Blair let herself collapse against his chest as she continued to cry.

Nate was scared. He had never seen her so upset in all the years he'd known her. When she had settled somewhat he gave her a tissue to wipe her eyes and blow her nose. She leaned back into his chest again once she'd finished.

Nate let her be peaceful for a few minutes. "Now tell me what's happened," he said. And tell me why Jack Bass was here."

"I can't," Blair whispered into his chest. "I can't talk about it."

"Did he hurt you?" Nate growled. "I'll kill the son of a bitch!"

"No, Nate. Jack didn't hurt me," she replied.

"Then what is it Blair. You have to tell me."

"I have to sell Bass Industries," she said as she tried to fight off another round of tears. And I'll probably have to marry Jack so he can one day inherit his legacy," she cried.

"No, Blair. You can't do that. Why would even think that? Why do you have to sell the company?"

"I can't do it anymore. And Lily wants out. It's too much with Chase," she told.

"So marry me. I love you. I'll give you a home. I'll help you raise Chase. You won't have to sell the company."

"I'd still have to sell it, Nate. I can't put in the hours I'd need to. Even with a husband."

"I don't see why not. Between the two of us, we could manage Chase."

"That's not it, Nate. There's more..."

"What more? What else could there possibly be that you'd marry Jack? I thought you hated the guy!" Nate snarled.

"I do! Nate. I hate him!"

"Then why would you even consider doing such a thing?"

"Because I'm pregnant again, Nate. From Chuck. I can't do this on my own again. And Jack will make sure both kids inherit Bass Industries," she cried. "I don't see that I have any other choice!"

"Son of a bitch!" Nate swore. He stood up and looked at Blair in disbelief. "I need to get out of here," he stated as he walked out of the living room towards the elevator.

The rest of the day passed by Blair in a blur. She tried to eat, but couldn't keep any food down. She knew it was her nerves and not the baby making her sick. She finally drank some of Chase's mega vitamin shakes for toddlers so that her body would have a little nutrition. She also tried to play with Chase, but he sensed something was wrong with his mother and he became whiny and clingy. Finally she just got them both ready for bed and brought him into bed with her for the night. She just couldn't bare the thought of being alone.

**XOXO**

On the other side of the city Nate wasn't faring much better than Blair. He was pissed! That miserable basstard had knocked her up again and then abandoned her! He had almost destroyed her again! And now she was considering marrying Jack!

He wanted to hurt something. If Chuck was near by, he'd beat the shit out of him! And if Jack was handy, he'd beat him too!

He loved Blair. He wanted to marry her and be a father to Chase. He'd been trying to win her back for years! He knew she didn't love him the way she loved Chuck. But she did love him. And he was convinced that given time, she would love him just as much. He'd been pissed off that Chuck showed up out of the blue again. He'd obviously been gallivanting around without concern for those he'd left behind. He thought he had lost her for sure. But then, the coward left again and Blair was alone once more and likely more vulnerable than ever. He had known this was the time to make his move.

But now that Blair was pregnant again? He'd be a laughing stock if he married her after she'd gotten pregnant from Chuck Bass again. Besides, he couldn't help her with preserving Bass Industries for the kids. He knew Blair would do what she felt was in the best interest for her children. And their future was her priority.

He didn't know what to do. Well he did, but it was almost as bad as letting her marry Jack. Almost,…. but not quite. After doing a little research, Nate put a call in overseas. He needed to talk to Chuck.

**XOXO**

It was four o'clock in the morning on the other side of the world when Chuck's hotel room phone rang.

"Mr Prince, I hate to disturb you this early in the morning, but you have an urgent call from New York. Should I put it through?" the receptionist asked.

Chuck woke up and sat up immediately. "Of course you should put it through," he stated. It was likely Blair, he thought. Thank God she'd finally phoned him.

"Hello?" a voice said from the other end. It was definitely not Blair.

"Hello. Who is this?" Chuck asked.

"Chuck, this is Nate," he said.

Chuck startled. "I thought you hated me, Nate. Why are you calling?"

"I do hate you," he replied. "But this is bigger than that."

"What is?" Chuck growled. "You're not making any sense! It's four o'clock in the morning here. Don't talk in riddles. What do you want?"

"You need to come home, Chuck. Fast!"

"I'm planning on it. I just have to finish this one job off first," he stated.

"No Chuck. You need to come home NOW!" Nate exclaimed.

"Why, what's the matter?" Chuck asked.

"It's Blair," Nate replied.

"Has something happened to Blair?" Chuck asked in alarm "Is she alright?"

"No, she's not all right. Lily has convinced her to sell Bass Industries to Jack. And Blair's going to marry him, Chuck" Nate cried.

"What the hell are you talking about? Why would she do that, Nate? What's happened?" Chuck demanded.

"She can't manage it by herself and Lily wants out," Nate replied.

"I thought Lily was staying until Chase was in school and Blair could run it full time," he said.

"Not anymore."

"Why not?" Chuck asked. "Tell me what happened, Nathaniel. Why would Blair marry Jack?"

"Because she's pregnant again, Chuck. You knocked her up when you came back!" he blurted.

Chuck was silently on the phone. He was in a total state of shock. He'd done it to her again!

"Chuck? Are you there?" asked Nate.

"Nate, why wouldn't Blair tell me this? She refuses to answer my calls," Chuck relayed.

"Because she believes you've abandoned her and Chase again. She likely thinks you'll run even further if she tells you about this one, too. She thinks you don't care!"

"Of course I care, I love her!" Chuck expressed. "But I don't understand why she would even think about marrying Jack? Why not you?"

"Because Jack has promised her he'll adopt the kids and they'll still have the company as their legacy. She'll do whatever it takes to give them what she thinks they deserve. And I can't give them that, but Jack can."

Chuck could give them that too. And more! He was their father. And he loved Blair. He needed to get back there immediately. "Listen. I'll be on the first plane I can get out on. Please don't let my uncle anywhere near her," he told Nate.

"It's too late," Nate informed him. "He was already there tonight."

"Is…., is he still there?" Chuck asked as he cringed.

"No, he left just as I came up. She hates him Chuck. But she feels like she has no other choice. You have to stop her. This will ruin her life!" Nate pleaded.

"She does have another choice, Nate." He replied. "So please don't let her do or sign anything until I get there, ok? I'll be there as soon as I can."

"I'll try," Nate answered.

"Thanks Nathaniel. I owe you one," Chuck stated.

"No, you owe Blair one. Just see that you get here as soon as possible, and make sure you follow through this time." And with that, Nate hung up the phone.

Chuck had better follow through, Nate thought. Because if he didn't, Nate would make sure he'd wish that he really had died in Prague three years ago!

**XOXO**

**A/N: **Bet you didn't expect Nate to do that, did you? Anticipation is fun, yes?


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

**A/N: I'm sorry but tonight's show SUCKED... WTF were you thinking Blair?**

**XOXO  
**

Chuck wasn't able to catch a direct flight right away and was stuck at the airport for a few hours waiting. He knew it was paramount to get to Blair fast. If he knew Jack at all, then Jack would be pushing her to sign papers right away.

He was grateful that London was five hours ahead of New York time. Even with an eight hour flight, he would arrive only three hours later in New York.

He put a call in to William Dalton and explained there was an emergency he had to deal with back in the states. The young man would be on his own, at least for awhile.

Then Chuck placed a call to Jared's private room at the hospital just prior to boarding the plane. He apologised for bailing out on him so soon, but explained he was needed at home. He hoped Jared would understand.

**XOXO**

On the other side of the globe, the phone ringing just after eight o'clock woke both Blair and Chase up. Lily wanted Blair to meet with the lawyers early that afternoon to go over the contract that Jack and his team of lawyers had drawn up.

Blair was immediately put into a state of panic. She knew that what happened today would impact the rest of her and her children's lives. Jack would own Bass Industries and she would have a stable family and future for her children. It was for the best. But if it was really for the best, why did she feel like her entire world was ending?

She knew she didn't have to marry Jack. She could marry Nate, but that would mean that the rightful heirs to the company would lose their right to inherit the it. Besides, she doubted Nate would want her with this second pregnancy. And if Nate didn't want her, why would anyone else?

She could sell the company and stay single. She had enough money to support herself and her kids a thousand times over, but again the children would lose their legacy and she would be alone.

She could sell the company and marry Jack. She would have a husband and a father for her children and the kids would get their rightful inheritance.

She mulled over her choices as she fed Chase and attempted to eat some food herself. None of them worked for her. She knew she had to sell Bass Industries. She simply could not take on the full responsibility herself. But she didn't know what to do about the rest. Perhaps Lily was right. Jack wanted her despite the fact that she came with two kids and a lot of baggage because of Chuck. At least somebody did!

The realisation was almost more than she could bare and she started crying again. If only Chuck wanted her and Chase. If only the words he had spoken to her of love were true, If only he cared enough to be here for them. If only…..

There was one last option that she hadn't wanted to think about. She could call Chuck and beg him to come back. She knew he wouldn't come and that Chuck telling her that would break her already broken heart even more, but it was worth a try. After all, she really couldn't lose anything else.

Finally she picked up her phone and dialled his number.

Because Chuck was in the air, his cell phone went directly to voicemail. Blair went upstairs and locked herself in the bathroom so Chase wouldn't hear her message.

"_Chuck, its Blair. I need you to know that things aren't going well right now. We are in the process of selling Bass Industries and Jack wants to buy it. We're supposed to meet after lunch today to sign the contract."_

"_I don't want to sell it, Chuck. But I have no one to help me run things anymore and it's too much for me to handle with Chase and ….., and other things". _Blair started crying, despite her best efforts to remain level headed. "_Chuck I don't know what to do!" _

"_Jack wants it… And you need to know that he wants me too as part of the deal._ _He wants to marry me and adopt Chase," _She sobbed. _"And I don't want to do it. I really don't! I love you. I always have. I always will," _she cried as she twirled his ring from the chain around her neck_. "I hate Jack. The thought of him touching me just…, just ewww! But if you don't want me…, and if you don't want Chase, then Jack will give him the future he deserves._

Blair swallowed hard and tried to steady her voice. "_I'm sorry for crying Chuck. And I don't want to beg you. But I'm desperate! So if you care even a little bit about us, you'll phone me back and tell me what to do_. _Please call me back and help us,"_ she pleaded.

She clicked off her phone and washed her face. She had played her last card. If Chuck didn't call her back, she would sign the papers and marry Jack as soon as he wanted her to.

But as the time approached for her to get ready to go and meet the lawyers, no phone call came from Chuck. She refused to cry, so she held her head high and prepared to do what she had to do.

As she was finishing off her makeup she happened to glance down in the mirror and catch the gleam off of the stones in Chuck's ring that was around her neck. She took the chain off and dropped it, along with the ring, into her jewellery box. She swallowed back the lump that was forming in her throat and blinked away the impending tears. She would not be weak. Despite the fact that her heart was racing, her head was spinning and her stomach lurching, she would go to this meeting strong. She turned around and grabbed her shoes, ready to head downstairs to gather up Chase and leave for the meeting.

**XOXO**

Chuck flagged down a cab from JFK and told the driver he'd pay double if he made it quick to the UES and Blair's penthouse. The eager driver sped off, darting along on the busy streets like a cat with its tail on fire!

Chuck could barely contain himself as the elevator headed to the penthouse level of the building.

He entered the foyer and called for Blair. But no answer came. He called again and again but there was no answer. He had missed her!

He figured if he headed to Bass Industries he could possibly catch them while the lawyers were going over pertinent details of whatever contract Jack had drawn up. He was just about to head out the door when he heard a strange sound.

It sounded like crying, but he wasn't sure, it was so soft. He listened again, and sure enough he heard it again,. He thought it must be coming from upstairs.

As he began to ascend the staircase, it grew slightly louder. It sounded like a child crying from down the hall. He flew into Blair's room as fast as he could and stopped dead in his tracks at the sight in front of him.

Blair lay unconscious on the floor and Chase sat beside her head, trying to wake his mother up.

"Blair!" Chuck yelled as he flew to her side, patting her face, trying to revive her. She did not respond.

He noticed she was breathing, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He wondered if she had taken on overdose, trying to kill herself before she had to make a choice she didn't want to make. But then he realised she wouldn't do that to Chase. She would never jeopardise her child, or orphan him on purpose.

As soon as Chase saw his father, he began to cry in earnest. "Papa, Momma fell down," he cried. "Why won't she wake up?"

"Mommy needs a doctor Chase," Chuck explained as he whipped out his phone and called 911. "She's sick," he said calmly, not wanting to scare the little guy. "But it'll be ok, your Papa is here now."

Chase climbed up onto his father's lap and wrapped his arms around his neck. He burrowed his face into the curve of Chuck's neck. "I'm scared, Papa," he whimpered.

"It'll be all right, Chase," Chuck soothed. "We're going to get your mom to the doctor, ok?" He sat beside Blair until the paramedics showed up, rubbing soothing circles onto his son's back.

"I have no idea what happened," he told them as they began their preliminary assessment on her. "But she's been under a lot of stress lately, has lost a lot of weight and is a couple of months pregnant."

"Her breathing is erratic and her pulse is weak and thready. She needs to get to the hospital immediately," they told him.

Chuck and Chase were allowed to ride along in the back of the ambulance with her to the hospital. Chuck explained that there was no one else to take the child right there, but he'd get to it immediately after they reached the hospital.

So while they were waiting for the trauma team to examine her, Chuck called Eric and told him what happened. He asked Eric to come and get Chase so that he could stay with Blair.

Eric was surprised to hear that Chuck had come back into town. He told him he would get there as soon as possible to take Chase.

Chuck sat with his head in his hands as Chase attempted to play with the toys in the waiting room. But the child was upset and clingy, preferring to just sit and hold onto Chuck.

Finally Eric showed up. After asking about Blair, he tried to take Chase away from his father. But the child was reluctant to let go of Chuck.

"He must be afraid I'm going to leave him again," Chuck said in dismay.

"Why did you come back?" Eric asked.

"You haven't heard what your mother is forcing Blair to do?" he asked in disbelief.

"Actually, no," Eric cringed. But knowing his mother, it could be almost anything.

"Blair's pregnant again," Chuck told his stepbrother. "And because I was in Europe working, Blair and Lily both assumed I wasn't coming back. Not that I blame them, knowing my history. But Lily told Blair she wasn't going to help her at Bass Industries any more and they should sell it."

"Oh my God, I can't believe she'd do that to Blair!" Eric cried.

"That's not the worst of it," he continued. "Lily arranged for Jack to buy it, and has convinced Blair that she should marry Jack so the kids will still inherit the company when they're older!"

Eric was stunned. "Good grief, that's terrible! So that's why you came back!" he stated.

"I was always planning on coming back," Chuck informed him. "I wasn't going to leave when I did in the first place. But Jared had a terrible accident and asked for me to go back and help train his nephew to take over the business. I owe that man a lot. He became the father I always wished I would have had. I couldn't say no to him," Chuck relayed.

Chuck sighed. "I couldn't give Blair a definite date to return. She assumed I just wasn't going to bother. I didn't know she was pregnant again, or I would have tried to get here sooner. And now all of this has happened!" he said in distress.

"Does mom know you're back?' Eric asked.

"Not unless she's read the Gossip Girl posts. I'm sure there's at least one. I saw cameras flashing at the airport."

"That's strange!" Eric said as he pulled out his cell phone to check. "I haven't seen a blast yet!"

"Well I'm sure it's coming" Chuck growled.

"Should I phone mom to let her know Blair's here?"Eric asked.

"Yeah, Blair should have been at the meeting an hour ago. She's probably worried," Chuck replied. "But don't tell her I'm here. I want to have a chat with her when she get's here."

Eric placed a quick call to his mother and told her that Blair was in the hospital. "She's on her way," he told him.

A few minutes later a nurse came out to the waiting room to get Chuck. Chase had drifted off to sleep, so he passed his sleeping son off to his stepbrother.

Blair was resting comfortably when Chuck entered the room. He sat quietly in a chair beside her bed.

She opened her eyes, sensing someone had joined her. She stared at Chuck in disbelief. "Chuck," she cried. "You're really here!"

"Of course I am. I love you," he replied. "I came as soon as I found out what was going on," he said as he leaned in to kiss her brow.

Blair closed her eyes as his lips made contact with her skin and she felt tears welling up in them. She kept them closed, not wanting to cry.

The doctor joined them a couple of minutes later.

"Well you were incredibly dehydrated and are severely undernourished," the large man told him. "Your blood sugar and electrolyte levels were dangerously low," he added. "But we've corrected your fluid and electrolytes now so you should be able to go home as soon as you're able to walk again."

"Is everything else alright?" she asked.

"The baby seems to be doing fine, if that's what you're asking," the doctor replied. "But you need to take better care of yourself and eat proper meals from now on."

Blair nodded and closed her eyes again. Finally the tears came. When she'd awoken in the hospital, she'd been afraid that she was losing the baby. Now she was relieved. She also realised now that Chuck would also know she was pregnant again. Her eyes flashed open and she stared at him.

"I know about the baby," he told her as he took her hand in his. "Nate phoned me last night."

"He did?" she asked. It was hard to believe that he'd do such a thing considering that he had asked her to marry him yesterday, she thought.

"Yes, he did, thank God! Blair what were you thinking about selling the company and marrying Jack? Do you know how miserable your life would be? How miserable the kids would have been?" Chuck blurted.

"I didn't have a choice, Chuck," she cried. "I didn't have help with Chase. And when I told Lily I was pregnant again, she said we needed to sell the business. With two kids to look after, I wouldn't be able to manage it on my own."

"Why wouldn't you just phone and tell me?" he asked. "I would have made arrangements to come home to help you."

"Because when you couldn't tell me when you were coming back I thought that you just didn't want us anymore!" she wailed.

"I was planning on coming here next week, Blair. But if I'd have known you needed help, I'd have come earlier. Believe it or not, you and Chase are my first priority now. I love you."

"I love you too, Chuck. I'm so glad you're home!" she sobbed.

Chuck leaned in and placed a light kiss on her lips and lay his head down on her chest.

"Just what the fuck is this?" a bitter voice asked from the doorway. Chuck and Blair looked up to see Jack with his hands on his hips and a scowl on his face. He was not impressed!

**XOXO**

**A/N:** Sorry to leave you hanging like this, but I thought I'd leave you hanging! Please review.

Hey, if you've ever wondered why the hell Blair would ever have slept with Jack in the first place, a few years back; then you should read my one chapter story…. You Don't Know Jack. I think it's one of my best pieces so far and it answers the WTF question rather well. It makes sense out of that bizarre circumstance. If you read it, please let me know what you think.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

**A/N: **Thank you to everyone who cared enough to review the last chapter.

Here's a little fluff to sooth the shit that was Monday night's episode!

**XOXO**

Chuck raised his head off of Blair's chest and scowled at Jack. "Get out of here," he growled. He stood up and approached his uncle in the doorway.

"So the coward has decided to show his face again, eh?" Jack mused. "You have nerve showing up here, Chuck. Don't you think you've done enough damage?"

"You need to mind your own business and leave," Chuck snapped. He approached Jack with his fists clenched.

Jack looked at Chuck's posture and laughed. "What? Are you going to hit me or something? " he asked.

"As a matter of fact I am!" Chuck replied as he swung his fist into Jack's face.

Jack flew backwards into the hall, landing right in front of the triage nurse.

"This man needs to leave!" Chuck told the startled woman.

As Jack was getting up, he looked at Chuck with furrowed eyes. "This isn't over!" he snapped as his hand went to hold his aching jaw. "Blair and I have made a deal!"

Blair was now up sitting on the side of her bed. "Both of you stop!" she yelled. She looked at Jack. "I'm sorry, but there is no deal between us. If Chuck wants to sell Bass Industries, that'll be up to him from now on."

He looked at Chuck with daggers in his eyes, and then looked at Blair. "I'm not going to talk to you about this now," he said. "But I'll come and talk to you about this later, when Chuck isn't there."

"There's nothing to talk about," Chuck snarled. "You need to go back to whatever hole you crawled out of in the first place."

Jack postured and started coming towards Chuck just as two hospital security guards grabbed him to escort him out. "We're not done!" he yelled to Chuck as they steered him down the hall.

**XOXO**

That evening when Blair was back at home, she took a bath, slipped on a nightdress and crawled into bed with Chase. The child was unwilling to let go of his mother after the traumatising events of the day.

He snuggled next to Blair, a toy ambulance in his hand, as Chuck read him a bedtime story. When he finally drifted off to sleep, Chuck lifted him carefully and put him into his own little bed.

Chuck closed his son's door and came back to talk to Blair. "I'm going over to talk to Lily for awhile," he said. "Do you want me to pick up anything while I'm out?" he asked.

Blair shook her head and frowned. "Can't this wait until tomorrow?" she asked.

Chuck smiled and leaned down to kiss her. "I'd rather deal with it tonight if I can. Lily needs to know I intend on taking over the company as soon as possible."

Blair nodded. "Thank you for coming back," she said as he left the bedroom.

On the other side of town, Lily and Rufus were just saying goodbye to Dan and Serena as Chuck entered their penthouse.

"Chuck," Serena said as she quickly hugged him. "It's good to see you again. Are you back for good, or just another visit?"

"I'm back for good," he said as he scanned the apartment looking for Lily. "I need to speak to your mother for a minute. Is she here?"

"She's just gone upstairs for a minute. Do you want to meet your niece?" she asked.

"Ummm, Serena. We need to go," Dan spewed with an annoyed tone. "Some of us have responsibilities to take care of."

Chuck turned around and glared at Dan. "What's that supposed to mean, Humphrey?"

"It means that while you have been off gallivanting around God knows where, doing God knows what, other people have been doing the responsible thing and looking after their women and children," he snarled.

"Dan!" Serena snapped at her husband.

"Well, not that it's any of your business, Humphrey, but….," Chuck started and then changed his mind. "Actually, this really isn't any of your business. So get lost!"

Chuck walked into the suite and sat down on the sofa, ignoring Dan and Serena.

Dan mumbled something and headed out the door with his daughter, followed by his wife.

"I'll see you later," Serena called back to her stepbrother.

"Chuck!" Eric greeted with enthusiasm as he plopped down beside him on the sofa. "How's Blair?"

"She's feeling much better now that her stress level has dropped and she's eaten," he replied.

Eric nodded. "Are you here to see mom?" he inquired.

"Yeah, where is she?" he asked.

"Where's who?" asked Lily as she came down the staircase.

"I need to talk to you about what almost happened today."

"Charles, it's good to see you too," Lily said sarcastically as she sat herself down across from the two boys.

"I'll get to the point, Lily," Chuck stated, ignoring his stepmother's sarcasm. I need to understand why you got Jack involved in Blair's life again," Chuck snapped. "He's put her through enough."

"What do you mean he's put her through enough? You disappeared after getting your girlfriend pregnant again and left her with an impossible dilemma," she argued. "Jack was simply willing to buy the company and provide a proper family environment for Blair's kids."

"They're my kids too," Chuck growled.

"Well then you'd better stick around and act like you want to be the father. Because if you don't, then Jack will generously step in and fill your role."

"Do you honestly think Jack wants to be their father?" Chuck asked. "It's all a ploy to get back at me! He would find a way to destroy Blair, ruin the kids and then take everything he could!"

"You don't know that, Charles. I think he sincerely loves Blair."

"Who loves Blair" Rufus asked as he stepped into the living room. He stopped short when he saw who was sitting in their living room. He hadn't seen Chuck since the Jenny incident and he was not happy to see him now! "Chuck! Is that you? Just what are you doing in this house?" Rufus snapped.

"Look, I get that you hate me, but I'm here to talk to your wife about why she was pressuring my pregnant girlfriend and the mother of my child to marry Jack and sell him my family business, Rufus. So if you don't mind…"

He looked at Chuck in disbelief. "Blair's pregnant again. Just when did you get back?"

"I was home for a few days two months ago," Chuck said mischievously. "It was obviously enough!"

Rufus shook his head at Chuck in disgust and then turned to face his wife. "And you did what?" he asked angrily.

"I merely helped Blair find a solution to her problems," she stated. "Chuck had run away again and Blair was in crisis."

"But Jack, Lil? How could you after everything he'd done to you and Chuck?" Rufus questioned.

"Because he was willing, Rufus. And the poor girl had no one!"

Chuck had been trying to contain himself while the two argued. But this was now too much! "She had me, Lily! And until this week, she thought she had you, too! I was planning on coming back! I called you several times, but you wouldn't talk to me! I was just helping my boss out in London! Why didn't you call me to tell me what was happening?" he asked. "I would have come home right away!"

"Because you can't be trusted and I didn't want Blair to get her hopes up and then get hurt again! And Frankly, Charles," she added, "I was just plain worn out from trying to help Blair with your company!"

"So instead you looked for an easy fix and sold both it and her to Jack"

"No Chuck. That was you who sold her to Jack! Three years ago!"

"Hey! Both of you need to quit it right now!" Rufus snapped.

"Chuck, I hope that if you are here to stay, that you look after Blair and Chase. God knows that child needs a father!" He shook his head thinking of how rambunctious Chase could be.

"And Lily," he said as he looked with disgust at his wife. "I can't believe how disappointed I am in you. Why wouldn't you have just called Chuck and told him about the company and Blair instead of getting that disgusting excuse for a human being involved again?"

"You obviously don't understand!" she defended. "So I'm just going to go and get ready for bed."

"You can clean out your desk in the morning too, Lily. I'll be taking over Bass industries right away."

"Good," she sad. "It's about time!"

**XOXO**

Chuck tiptoed quietly into Blair's room and undressed before slipping between the sheets next to her.

"Hey," Blair mumbled as she felt his body circle hers.

"I'm sorry I woke you up," Chuck stated as he kissed the top of her head and pulled her a little closer.

"Don't be. I tried to wait up for you but I guess I was too sleepy." She turned around so she was facing him and snuggled against to his body. She raised her head and captured his lips in a soft kiss.

Chuck Gently bit down on her bottom lip, not wanting her to pull away. He began to deepen the kiss, groaning when his tongue slipped into her sweet mouth.

He stopped a moment latter, afraid he would get too carried away. He didn't want to push her too far after her tiring day.

Blair grumbled when she realised he seriously wanted to stop. "I'm fine," she whined as she stroked the silky hairs on his chest.

"No, you've had a hard day and need to rest," he argued. "Besides, I'm good just holding you in my arms for now." He pulled her closer so that her head rested under his chin.

"Are you sure?" Blair asked.

He reached down and kissed her head once more. "Positive," he said with a sigh as he closed his eyes.

**XOXO**

The next morning, Chuck woke up to something jabbing him in the gut. He reached down to feel what it was, and grabbed hold of Chase's foot.

"Papa, that tickles," his son giggled.

The little guy had wedged himself between his parents and snuggled his head against the curve of his mother's neck.

"Shhh, Chase, please don't wake your mother. She needs to sleep," Chuck whispered.

Chase turned around in his bed to face his father. "Hi Papa," he whispered, he reached his hand up to feel Chuck's stubbly face. "I like these whiskers."

Chuck chuckled quietly. "Do you want to get some breakfast?" he asked.

Chase nodded his head and climbed out from between Chuck and Blair, his bare bottom in the air.

Chuck gasped at his semi naked son. "Chase, Where are you pyjama bottoms?" he asked.

"In-a baffroom, Papa. I had-a go pee!" he announced proudly as he left the bedroom and headed down the hall into the family bathroom.

Chuck slipped on his robe and followed his son, almost dreading what mess might be awaiting him in the bathroom. But to his surprise, only Chase's pyjama bottoms and a dry diaper were on the floor.

Chuck checked the diaper. "Good boy, you didn't pee in the diaper last night!" Chuck praised.

"I'm a big boy!" he announced. "An' I brushed my own teef too!"

"I see that," Chuck replied as he noticed the toothpaste mess in the sink. "Well let's get you washed up and dressed and then I'll make you some breakfast. What would you like to eat?" he asked.

"I want eggs an' toast," Chase replied as he pulled off his pyjama top and allowed Chuck to wash his face and hands. He scooted into his bedroom and pulled opened a couple of drawers in his closet to take out a shirt and a pair of overalls.

"Hey, you need some underwear and socks too," Chuck laughed.

Chase pulled open another drawer and got the items out. He started to dress himself and Chuck helped him do up the clasps on his overalls.

Chuck got busy in the kitchen and began to make enough breakfast for everyone. As he was putting together the coffee, he felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist and hug him.

"Morning," Blair said as she lay her head against his back. "What time are you going in this morning?" she asked.

"I need to shower and make a couple of phone calls first, but I'll head in after that," he replied as he turned around and pulled her in closer to him. "How're you feeling this morning?" he asked.

"Pretty good, actually." Blair reached up and kissed him gently on the mouth.

"Have you been getting sick in the morning?" he asked her.

She shook her head. "No. I didn't get any morning sickness with Chase either. But I can't stand the smell or taste of certain foods." She looked at the coffee now dripping into the pot and cringed. "Coffee, for example, doesn't sit well in my stomach. And I can't eat bananas these days… or smell them for that matter," she laughed.

"Any cravings yet?" he asked.

"Not that I can pinpoint right away, although the thought of peanut butter cups and pancakes makes my mouth water," she laughed. "But I did crave popsicles with Chase. Especially cherry ones."

Chuck laughed too, and then grew serious. "I wish I could have been there for that," he confessed. "I really am sorry I stayed away for that long."

"You're here now and that's all that matters," she told him. She reached up to kiss his lips again and then turned and grabbed a plate of eggs off the counter.

Just then, Chase came in with an empty milk glass. "Momma, can I have some more?" he asked.

"Good morning love. What do you want more of?" she asked him.

"Milk!" he said as he held out the empty glass.

"So, ask your question again and try to remember your manners," Blair coached.

Chase furrowed his brows and thought for a second. "Momma can I have some more milk, please?" he asked.

"Of course you can, sweetheart." She filled his glass up and passed it back to him, but before she handed it over she waited to see if he remembered what came next.

"Thank-you," he said.

"Your welcome dear," Blair beamed as she he announced. She watched her child drain the glass.

"I was firsty!" he announced. "Can I go play now, momma?" he asked. "Pleeeease?"

Blair nodded and laughed as she watched her son speed off into the playroom.

Chuck grabbed his plate and followed Blair into the dining room. "You're a good mother," he told her.

"Thank you. You're going to be a great father too, you know," she replied.

"I sure hope so," he answered honestly.

"You'll be great, Chuck. I know you will," she reinforced. Then she noticed all the toast remnants all over the table. "I can't wait for Dorota to come back. I hate housekeeping!" she complained.

"So why don't you hire someone to fill in until she's back?" he asked.

"Dorota was supposed to find someone she trusts, but she went into labour before she could do it. She promised me she would get to it once she's home and settled with the baby," she explained. "I'll be fine for a few days doing it on my own if I don't have to go into the office."

"We still need to talk about the company and everything else," Chuck said with a frown. "And you need to let me know what you want your role to be when you come back to work."

"I need to think about it for a few days," she answered. "I think I'd like to stay at half days while the kids are little and I don't want to be bringing work home with me. But I haven't really thought about it too much. And I think we need to get a few lawyers involved to sort through your estate. You need to have your assets back," she said as she reached for his hand and squeezed it.

"Well, if you wouldn't mind organising that when you have time, then we could get this all figured out," he said. "But right now I need to get in the shower and make some phone calls." He excused himself and got up from the table. He leaned over and placed a light kiss on the top of her head.

When Chuck was ready to head into Bass Industries he hugged and kissed both Blair and Chase and then headed out. He smiled nervously as he rode down in the elevator. This morning had just been the most stereotypical domestic experience of his entire life. And it kind of freaked him out. But what scared him wasn't the domestic occurrence itself, but that he seriously had loved it!

Chuck wasn't gone more than ten minutes when the elevator bell announced company.

Blair was just finishing washing the dishes when his shadow darkened the kitchen doorway. Jack!

**XOXO**

**A/N:** Things are slowing down again. I will try and wrap this story up in the next chapter or two. Please take a moment and review.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

Chuck laid his head back against the buttery seat of the limo and closed his eyes to focus on his day. He would need to send a memo out immediately for a general staff meeting to inform the team that he was back and in charge. He hoped Lily would have been in and cleaned out her desk already so that he could organise his office and get to work.

He had talked a little bit with Blair the previous evening and between the two of them, they had compiled a list of tasks that needed to be completed immediately. He cursed under his breath realising that the list was still sitting on the desk in Blair's office at her penthouse along with some other papers he'd intended on bringing with him to work.

Arthur," he said to his driver, "I'm sorry, but we need to go back to the penthouse. I've forgotten something."

"Of course, Mr. Bass," Arthur replied. "Right away, sir."

**XOXO**

Blair struggled to remain calm as she realised Jack was blocking the kitchen entrance. She wondered how he had managed to sneak by the concierge. "Hello, Jack," she said coolly, grateful that he was unable to hear her rapidly beating heart. She continued rinsing the dishes in the sink as if he wasn't there.

"Blair," he replied. "You and I need to talk."

"I don't believe we have anything to say to each other," she replied simply. She opened the dishwasher and began filling the tray with dishes. She was expecting him to get angry with her, and was dreading where she suspected this was going.

"We had an arrangement, Blair," he said to her. "You and I made a deal the other night."

Blair didn't respond to him for a moment. She closed the dishwater and rinsed and squeezes out the dishrag so she could begin wiping down the counters. "That was before I knew that the father of my children was coming back to stay," she responded.

"But Chuck's return has nothing to do with our deal," he smarmed as he began walking towards her. "You are the one in control of Bass Industries, not Chuck"

She looked at his face and tried to keep her composure. She noticed tha large bruise on Jack's jaw where Chuck had hit him the day before. "It's his company Jack. I was just keeping it safe for him until he returned." She turned around to face him, her eyes growing larger as she watched him approached.

"It doesn't have to be that way, Blair. We can still be a family. I love you and want to marry you. If you sell to me, I'll give you everything you and the kids will ever need."

He stood before her, smiling as he placed each hand on either side of her, trapping her against the counter. "We were pretty good together, remember?"

"Jack it was one time, many years ago and I was both drunk and grieving over Chuck's disappearance. And from what I recall, it certainly wasn't good at all. In fact, it was horrible!" Blair commented." I'm giving Bass Industries to Chuck. And, while your confession of…. love was kind, it frankly makes me want to vomit! "

He leaned in closer to her. "Blair, I would be a good husband to you, and a great father to your kids." He reached out and attempted to put a hand on her stomach.

She slapped him. "Don't touch me!" she spat.

He withdrew his hand and placed it back on the counter to trap her again.

"Chuck will only hurt you again. He'll leave you. He'll leave his kids. You know you can't trust him. He was willing to trade you for a hotel, remember?"

"Chuck was still a kid. And you were willing to steal the hotel from your own flesh and blood, and then use me to barter with. You're an adult. That makes you even worse!" she replied.

"I wanted you so badly, I would have given everything for you," he said as he leaned in to kiss her.

No!" she yelled and pushed his chest with her arms. "I love Chuck. I always have. And he's going to stay with us this time!"

"Don't count on it." He moved in closer to her body and reached up to tuck a piece of hair back behind her ear.

"No-one except my boyfriend touches my hair," she snapped as she pushed his hand away from her again.

"Blair, don't do this to me," he pleaded. "I….., I need you!"

"No, Jack. What you need is to step away from me!"

"Momma, can you help me wiff my buckles?" came a little voice from the doorway. "I gotta go pee."

Jack stepped back when he heard the child.

Blair looked up to see Chase trying to unhook the contraptions on his overalls as he danced up and down trying not to pee himself.

"Of course sweetheart," Blair said as she pushed through Jack's barricade and took her son into the lower guest bathroom.

Once inside, she locked the door. If only she had her cell phone with her, she could call police, she thought. She tried to keep her hands steady as she helped Chase with his pants. When he was done peeing, she had him wash, and then put the lid down on the toilet seat. She pulled Chase up onto her lap.

"That man is a bad man," she whispered to him. "We are going to stay in here until he goes away."

"Why is he a bad man, Momma?" Chase asked.

"He just is, sweetheart," she answered as she held Chase against her chest.

When she didn't come out of the bathroom a few minutes later, Jack knocked on the door. "Blair, is everything alright?" he asked.

"Jack, you need to leave. Thank you for your interest but I'm not selling to you nor am I going to marry you."

"But we had a deal," Jack snapped back. He knocked again. "Come out of there!"

Blair ignored him.

He knocked again, this time much louder. "Blair, get out here!" he yelled.

When she didn't, he began to hit the door loudly and yell. The noise made Blair tense up and scared Chase. He began to cry.

"Go away Jack. You're scaring Chase!" she yelled at him.

"Open the fucking door!" Jack yelled again as he began kicking it.

Jack continued to hit and kick the door while yelling obscenities at Blair. He didn't hear the bell of the elevator as Chuck entered the suite.

But Chuck surely heard him! He had intended on only popping into the office and grabbing his papers, but the noise coming from down the hall startled and then scared him.

He ran down the hall to witness Jack at the bathroom door. Already, there were holes in it from his kicking. He heard Chase crying in distress behind the door.

He grabbed Jack by the collar and flung him around to face him, slamming his fist directly into Jack's face. Blood sprayed from Jack's nose all over the hallway wall.

"Just what the fuck do you think you're doing?" Chuck yelled as he smashed his fist into Jack's face again.

Jack brought his fist up and hit Chuck in the stomach.

"Shit," Chuck grunted. Another fist flew at him and Chuck took it in the side of the face.

He retaliated with another shot at Jack's nose, sending more blood spraying evertywhere.

Behind the bathroom door, Blair sat holding tightly onto a nearly hysterical Chase. Chase had his hands covering his ears and had his eyes squeezed tight. "Chuck, be careful!" Blair yelled from behind the bathroom door.

"You bitch!" Jack yelled at Blair.

Chuck slammed his fist into Jack's stomach, causing the man to double over. Then he brought his knee up and crashed it into his uncle's face.

Jack crumpled to the floor.

Chuck grabbed him by the collar and started dragging him down the hall towards the elevator. "Blair, stay in the bathroom until I get this piece of shit out of here," he told her.

He dragged Jack into the elevator and escorted the body down to the concierge's desk. Jack struggled to stand, but Chuck used his foot to shove him back down each time he tried to rise. "You need to stay away from Blair and my kids from now on," he said. "And keep away from Bass Industries too. Actually, it might be a good idea if you just stayed out of the USA permanently," he warned.

"You don't deserve her Chuck. You don't deserve the company either," Jack sneered.

Chuck thought for a moment and then smirked. "You're right," he replied. "I probably don't. But you sure as hell don't either," he spat.

When they reached the main floor lobby, Chuck dragged Jack to the concierge's desk. "Make sure this piece of shit never steps foot in this building again," he told the wide eyed attendant.

Chuck headed back upstairs to the penthouse. He knocked softly on the bathroom door. "Blair, it's me. Jack's gone. It's safe to come out now," he said.

Blair cautiously unlocked the bathroom door and stepped out with Chase, who was wildly clutching at her and crying inconsolably. Chuck wrapped his arms around the two of them. "It's all right, Chase. You're safe with your mom and dad," he reassured him.

Chase poked his head out from under Blair's hair. "Is…., is…, is the bad man gone, Papa?" he stuttered between sobs.

"He is, Chase," Chuck reassured him as he lifted him gently out of Blair's arms. "Your Papa got rid of him."

Chase wrapped his little arms around his father's neck and lay his head under Chuck's chin. "The bad man scared my heart!" he relayed. "But Momma kept me safe."

"Yes, she did," Chuck agreed as he circled his other arm around Blair's waist and pulled her closer to them. He shuddered to think about what might have happened to the two of them if he hadn't of come back to the penthouse when he did. It was too horrible to even imagine!

Chuck stayed with them until Chase was settled and Blair said she was comfortable being left again. He was reluctant to head back to work and leave them alone, so he finally called Eric and asked him to come and stay with them for the day.

Once Eric arrived, Chuck grabbed the papers he needed from the office and headed out. Once in the limo, he called his old PI, Mike, to see if he was still working, and rehired him immediately when the man said he was. Chuck told him his first assignment was to follow Jack until he left the country.

**XOXO**

"See, Uncaeric, The bad man broked the baffroom door!" Chase explained after he'd dragged Eric down the hall to show him the scene of the earlier terrifying incident. "And look! There's blood from my Papa hurtin' the bad man. He bleeded all over the wall! Dorota's gunna be mad!" he added matter- of- factly.

"But the bad man's all gone now, Chase. You and your mom are safe," Eric reassured his nephew.

Eric looked at Blair as she came walking down the stairs. She had just finished in the shower and gotten dressed. "What's say we take Chase to the park and then maybe get some lunch or something?" he asked her.

"Don't you have homework to do?" she asked him. "It's kind of you to come and support us, but I thought you would want to use my office to work on whatever assignment you have. You really don't need to entertain us."

"I'm ahead on my term paper and have prepped for the upcoming test we have this week," he told her. "So I don't mind hanging out with you guys. I haven't seen very much of Chase for the last while. I kinda miss him!"

"Aw, that's sweet, Eric," Blair said. She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a hug. "Thank-you to always being so wonderful to us."]

Eric smiled. "I love you guys," he told her. "You're part of my family."

"We love you, too, don't we Chase?" Blair said as she looked over at her son.

Chase came running over and leapt up as Eric caught him in his arms. "I love you, Uncaeric," he replied.

At the park, Chase ran around after the soccer ball that Eric had brought along with them.

"This kid is wearing me out!" Eric panted in confession as he collapsed on the grass by Blair's feet. "I think your son may have some athletic ability," he added.

Blair laughed, "well if he did, he got it from my father, not from Chuck or I," she admitted. "Neither of us was ever athletic, but my father sure was when he was younger."

"That's right," Eric recalled. "Didn't he used to play football in school?"

Blair nodded. "He did, He was also captain of the swimming team and was on the rowing team as well," she added.

Eric looked at his nephew in wonder as the small boy continued to kick the ball around the field tirelessly. "I think you should sign him up for sports as soon as he is old enough," Eric suggested. "If he has athletic capability and you can hook him into sports early on, he may not be so rambunctious and get into so much trouble when he's older."

Blair smiled. "That's a great idea, Eric," she answered. It would be wonderful if they could channel Chase's energy into something positive before he hit adolescence.

"I could help out with lessons, too," Eric offered. "I could take him to swimming lessons and karate classes or soccer practice or hockey school if you guys were busy."

"We could put him in swimming lessons right away!" Blair stated. "He absolutely loves the water!"

They discussed other sports that Chase might enjoy and benefit from for awhile. They both figured it would be great to put him into swimming and maybe indoor soccer this fall. Eric decided he would get Chase a pair of skates and a little hockey stick and helmet for Christmas so he could take him to the ice rink in the park this winter.

When the little guy finally wandered back over to them and lay down on the grass next to Eric, they decided it was time to go for lunch, and then get him home for a nap.

**XOXO**

Chuck tidied up the space on his desk and grabbed his jacket to head back to Blair's. It had been a long, tiring afternoon and he was beat. It didn't help that his cheek was still swollen from where Jack had hit him and that his head was pounding. His secretary had brought him in some Advil a little earlier, but it hadn't seemed to have kicked in yet.

As he left the building he soon found himself surrounded by paparazzi and reporters who had just heard that the young billionaire had returned after supposedly being dead. He offered no comment to the hoard and finally managed to get back into the limo, shaking his head, He knew once the story was out, it would become a zoo!

Once the limo pulled away from the curve, Chuck laid his head back and thought about the day's events at work. He'd held a quick general staff meeting to inform the staff that he was now back and in charge. He organised an emergency board meeting for Monday and had spent most of the remainder of the day going over reports and records from the last three years. He had pulled a few files he needed to browse through over the weekend and had placed a call to London to check on Jared and to talk to William. He was relieved that things seemed to be running smoothly back there. It was one less thing to worry about.

Chuck had also heard from his PI that Jack and his people were on their way back to Australia. Hopefully the son of a bitch wouldn't return again, he thought with clenched fists. The thought of the man touching Blair made his guts twist. Thank God Nate had called him in London, when he did. If he hadn't, then Blair may heave ended up marrying Jack.

If that had happened, Chuck would have been devastated! If he'd have come back to the States two weeks later as he had planned, Blair might have been married to Jack, and Jack would have his father's company too! The reality of that situation made him feel extremely sick!

As Arthur finally pulled up in front of Blair's building, Chuck breathed a sigh of relief knowing that both scenarios had been avoided. He headed into the foyer and hit the elevator button for the penthouse.

""Papa! Papa!" Chase greeted Chuck with outstretched arms like he had seen Anna do when her father came from work.

Chuck scooped the little boy up and tossed him playfully into the air, catching him and holding him in for a hug. "Hi Chase. How was your day?" he asked his son.

Chase reached up to stroke his father's whiskers. "Uncaeric took me to the park an' we played soccer!" he announced. "And then we had lunch and I got ice-cream!" he added enthusiastically.

"That sounds like a great day," he commented.. "Where's your mother?"

"Momma's ina baff," he answered.

"She had a headache and went upstairs to try and relax a few minutes ago," Eric stated. "So Chase and I were just starting to watch a movie."

Chuck smiled and nodded her head. "Thank you for coming today, Eric. I really appreciated you staying with them."

"No problem, It was fun," he said. "I used to hang out with Blair and Chase after you left," he told him. "Things weren't so great at home and Blair seemed to like the company. Besides, I have a wonderful nephew I love to hang out with," he added.

"Well we're lucky to have you," he admitted. "And seriously, please come over whenever you like. Chase is lucky to have such a great uncle." Far better than his own, he thought. "And stay and finish the movie, if you'd like," he added. "I want to go up and see how Blair's doing."

"Thanks," Eric said as he went back into the play room and lay down on the floor with his pillow beside Chase. Transformers had always been one of his favourite movies as a kid!

Chuck went upstairs into Blair's room and gently knocked on the bathroom door. "Blair," he said. "May I come in."

"It's unlocked," Blair replied.

He entered the room and had to smile. The room was dark excepting for the low light coming from two candles on the counter. The air was thick with the scent of a soothing lavender and vanilla combo. And Blair was lying in the tub, up to her neck in bubbles.

Chuck locked the bathroom door and began to peel off his clothes. "Mind if I join you?" he asked.

"Let me let a little water out first," she replied as she pulled the plug for a moment to lower the water level.

Blair scooted forward when he was ready to come in and then edged back once he had settled behind her. She laid her head back against his chest.

Chuck wrapped hi arms around her and placed light kisses on the curve of her neck.

"How's it go today?" she asked him.

"It was busy, but nothing I wasn't prepared for," he replied as he grazed his teeth along a little patch of her skin. "The media has realised I'm back. It was a bit of a freak show leaving the building after work."

**A/N: Smut warning… Read at own risk.**

Blair nodded her head, in acknowledgement. "I guess it's to be expected."

"I suppose," Chuck answered as he nibbled along.

"Ummm," Blair replied as she tilted her head a little more, giving him more access to her neck. She ran her hands along his thighs as his hands stroked up her stomach to her breasts.

He noticed her breasts had gotten larger, even this early in her pregnancy. He lightly circled her nipples, causing them to form into hard peaks beneath his hands.

"Chuck," she moaned as she felt him growing hard behind her.

"I want you," he cooed into her ear. He slipped his hands down along her body until he reached her core. He began stroking her until she was groaning and wriggling beneath his hand.

When he had her panting, Blair took his hand and stopped him. She quickly flipped herself around in the tub, and in one swift moment, she straddled him.

Chuck slid deeper into the water as Blair assumed the position she wanted. She looked into his dark eyes and leaned in to give him a deep, sensual kiss. He gasped when she sank onto him in one smooth movement, the sensation of filling her never ceasing to amaze him.

Later that night after they'd fed Chase and tucked him into bed, they made love again. Afterwards, he held her against his chest and they began to chat as he ran his fingers up Blair's back. "Tell me," he finally asked, "how Dan Humphrey came to be working for the company," he said.

Blair raised her head and smirked at him. "After he got Serena pregnant, Lily decided Dan needed a job with a significantly better income that what he had been making. She hired him to work in the documents department. "

"The salary he's getting for the job he's doing is ridiculous!" Chuck commented.

"After all the horrible things he said about our son, Chuck, he shouldn't even be working there!" Blair commented.

"What do you mean?" Chuck asked.

Blair spent the next while giving Chuck a play by play of Dan's reaction to Chase and hurtful comments to her for the last while.

Chuck could feel his blood pressure rise when he heard Dan's attitude towards both of them and their child. "Dan needs to go!" Chuck stated. "And I might have to hurt him!"

**XOXO**

**A/N: **Last chapter will be up this week. Thank-you for taking the time to review, I appreciate it.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

**A/N: **Another train wreck of a show last night. Blair didn't cry much, but I sure did! I HATE Raina and wish the troll would climb back into whatever cave she crawled out of!

**XOXO**

Chuck woke up to a soft 'Whirrrr, whirrr, whirrr' noise coming from the foot of the bed. He opened one eye to see Chase driving his toy ambulance up and over Blair's legs. He glanced over at Blair to see if she was awake, but she was totally out. Finally he just closed his eyes and soon drifted off to sleep once again.

When he woke up the second time Chase was snuggled up between the two of them, his head tucked under his mothers curls. The toy ambulance was tucked under his little arm.

Chuck slipped out of bed and hit the shower. A moment later he saw his son peeping around the shower stall.

"Papa, can I come in?" he asked.

"Umm, I guess," Chuck said.

Chase peeled off his pyjamas and pull ups and stepped into the shower with his dad.

Chuck passed him the soap and told him to get busy washing.

Although Chase had sometimes come into the shower with his mother, it was his first time in the shower with another male. As he was washing himself, he checked over Chuck's body and then looked at his own. Chase didn't say anything, but continued to compare.

Chuck realised this was normal curiosity, but felt self conscious, nonetheless. He finally Put some shampoo in his son's hair and got him to scrub his scalp using his fingertips.

When they were done in the shower, Chuck wrapped Chase up around the waist just like himself. He plopped his son up on the counter and got his shaving kit together to shave.

Chuck took Chase's hand and brushed it against his cheek. "Whiskers," he stated.

Chase nodded his head. He liked whiskers.

Chuck began to lather up his face and shave. He smiled when he saw how mesmerised Chase was in the process.

When he was done shaving, he rinsed and dried his face and then held Chase's hand against his cheek once more.

Chase smiled. "No whiskers!" he sated in amazement. He felt his own smooth cheek and looked at his father. "Papa, how come I don't have whiskers?" he asked.

"That's because you're still a little boy, Chase. When you become a man, you will grow hair on you face like me."

"And everywhere else too, like you?" he asked as he looked at the hair on Chuck's chest.

Chuck chuckled. "Yes, when you grow into a man, you will get hair all over your body. And then you can shave just like I do."

"Can I shave now?" the little boy asked shyly.

"Not with a razor. You don't have whiskers and razors can cut you," he explained. He lathered up Chase's face with shaving cream and grabbed a small comb. Using the back of the comb, he took Chase's hand and helpd him glide the comb over his face like he would a razor one day. But you can use this to pretend to shave until you grow whiskers when you're older."

Chase was in heaven! He glided the comb along, doing his lip, trying to copy out the faces that Chuck had made while shaving.

When he was done, Chuck gave them both a splash of aftershave. "Drives the girls crazy," he explained with a grin.

"Momma, Papa and I had a shower, an' a shave!" he explained.

Blair smiled at her son. "That's wonderful," she told him.

"An' I was dry last night!" he announced.

"Yeahhhhh!" Blair clapped. "So that means we can try you without pull ups tonight. And if you don't wet at night any more, then no more diapers!"

"Yeahhh!" Chase clapped. "I'm a big boy!"

"You certainly are," Blair told him as she hugged him to her. "You're growing up so fast!"

After they all got dressed and were ready to head over to Lily's for their regular brunch, Chuck noticed Blair didn't look too happy. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"The last few brunches haven't been that great," she admitted. "I'm worried what will happen today."

"Don't be," he told her. "We're a part of that family too. Let me take care of Humphrey. He isn't going to ruin this for us."

"Blair nodded her head. Ok," she said. "We'll see how it goes."

**XOXO**

Chuck slid in beside his son as the family prepared for breakfast. He helped Chase arrange his napkin on his lap as Blair dished out some food for him.

"I love Tater tots!" he announced as he rolled one around in his egg yolk and popped it into his mouth.

"So now that I'm no longer at Bass Industries," Lily announced merrily. "Rufus and I are planning on taking a trip."

"Where are you going, mom?" Serena asked.

"I think we're going to fly to Spain and then play it by ear," she replied. "A couple of Rufus' old band members live in London, so we might head up there for a visit too."

"Sounds fun," Serena answered. Then she looked over at her step brother. "So Chuck, are you back for good this time?"

He nodded as he swallowed a mouthful of food. "I am. I went into the office yesterday. It'll take a little time getting used to being at a desk all day again," he admitted.

"Why? What did you do in London?" Serena asked.

"I did some office work, but I was more often hands on. The hotel chain I was with needed a lot of modernising and general renovations. Sometimes I even worked with the contractors if they needed help."

"You?" Dan asked in disbelief. "You actually got your hands dirty at a job?"

"Why do you find that so hard to believe, Humphrey?" Chuck asked with a scowl.

"Oh, probably because you've always had someone else do your dirty work for you," Dan quipped.

"You think so?" Chuck asked with a snarl.

"Ok, enough at the breakfast table please," Lily stated. "Blair, tell me how you're feeling these days. Is this pregnancy any different than when you were pregnant with Chase?"

"I'm really tired. Lily, but otherwise it's still too early to tell."

"You're not showing yet," Lily noted.

"No. I didn't have to wear maternity clothes with Chase until I was nearly five months along, remember?" Blair answered. "I can't believe how small I was compared to the size of him!"

"I remember!" Serena stated. "I almost had a fit when I saw how big he was. Do you want a girl this time?" her friend asked.

"I really don't have a preference. A little girl would be lovely, but I'd like a brother for Chase as well."

"Maybe the next one, if this one's a girl," Chuck added and he reached over and squeezed her hand.

Dan shook his head and scoffed. "You have got to be joking!" he said. "You're going to have more!"

Chuck put down his fork and tried to control his temper. He really wanted to fly across the table and slam his fist into Dan's face. "Why do you care?" he asked.

Before Dan had a chance to answer, Chase let fly a round of tater tots across the table. Eric caught the first one, the second one landed in a flower arrangement in the center of the table and the third one flew onto Serena's lap. "Uncaeric scores a point!" he called out excitedly.

"Chase," Blair warned. "You stop that at the table!"

Chase hung his head in shame. "I'm sorry Momma," he apologised.

"Well there's one good reason!" Dan snapped in disgust at the little boy. "That kid is totally out of control!"

Eric cringed. He had seen the Chuck-like smirk forming on his nephew's face and knew he was going to do something. He just wished Dan would mellow out. Dan's attitude towards Chase really pissed him off.

Chuck threw his napkin down and stood up. "He's two years old, you asshole," he snapped.

"Charles!" Lily warned.

"I'd like to see you out in the hall," Chuck growled at Dan.

Dan stood up and threw his napkin down too. "Fine!" he replied.

"Are you gonna hit him like you did the bad man, Papa?" Chase asked in excitement.

"Boys, that's enough! Both of you need to sit down!" Rufus asserted. "Now!"

"Nobody is going to hit anybody," Lily told her grandson. "Really! We're supposed to be having a lovely family breakfast," Lily said to the adults at the table.

The two men sat down and finished their food, but the tension in the room was ridiculous.

When Chase knocked over his orange juice a few minutes later and Dan glared at him again, the little boy began to cry.

"It's all right, sweetheart," Blair told him as she began to mop up the mess. "It was an accident."

"But…., but Uncadan's mad at me again," the child bawled. He scurried out of his seat and climbed onto his mother's lap in order to hide his face in shame under his mother's curls. "I wanna go home, Momma," he whispered into his mother's ear. "But can I bite him again?"

Blair shook her head and whispered back "No. daddy will deal with it."

All adult eyes in the room glared at Dan.

"I've about had enough of this crap!" Chuck snapped as he threw his napkin down again.

"I second that," Eric agreed as he stood up and threw his napkin down too. He looked at Dan and shook his head in disgust. "You ought to be ashamed of yourself, making my nephew feel bad about himself. He's just a little kid and he's family!"

Chase peeked out from under his mother's hair to watch the action as it unfolded.

Dan scoffed. "He's not your nephew, Eric!" he snarled. "And they're not family!" he blurted out in defense as he gestured to the three sitting at the end of the table. "And it's the same thing every week. Frankly, I'm getting really tired of it. And soon there'll be even more of them!"

"You're right Humphrey," Chuck said cooly as he put his napkin down and stood up. "We aren't related to you. And you can tell yourself that on Monday while you're looking through the classified ads for a job. Since you so adamantly believe we are not related, then I don't owe you anything, including a paycheck. You'll receive your severance pay in the mail."

At that Blair stood up with Chase. "I'm sorry, Lily," Blair apologised as they headed out into the hallway to leave. "But we won't be back again if we're unwelcome by anyone in this house."

"Chuck!" Serena called. "You can't do that! Dan needs a job to support our family!"

"I hear McDonald's is hiring," Chuck sneered as he opened the door for Blair and their son.

"Dan!" Serena called. "You need to fix this!"

Dan sighed, got up from the table and threw his napkin down. He came out into the hallway and scratched his head. "Chuck…." he started.

Chuck turned around, grabbed Dan by the scruff of the neck and slammed him into the wall. "Listen here, you son of a bitch," he began. "You are a pathetic excuse for a human being and a man. How dare you pit yourself against a two year old!"

Dan struggled to get out of Chuck's embrace. But the man was stronger than he'd remembered him ever being. Maybe Chuck had been doing some hard labour the last three years, he thought. "Me?" he questioned. "I'm a poor excuse for a man? I wasn't the one to run away and play in Europe for the last three years while my partner was struggling to raise a hyperactive kid on her own. I didn't abandon my friends and let the people who cared about me believe I was dead! I didn't walk away from my business and leave the responsibility for someone else to look after it! And I wasn't the one who took advantage of an innocent girl and then leave her to spiral downhill until she finally died!" he yelled.

Chuck slammed Dan against the wall again. "Your sister was a troll and was far from innocent," he sneered into Dan's face. "When she couldn't get Nate into bed, she settled for me. And I admit it was a mistake, but Jenny would have likely fucked anything available that night," he relayed.

"Chuck!" Rufus snapped.

"Chuck's right," Eric agreed. "Jenny had been getting out of hand for awhile. I blamed Chuck until I saw what she was doing to other guys after that night. That's what ended up getting her killed." He looked at his step father. "Sorry, Rufus, but it's true!"

"And I know I was wrong to stay away in London for so long," Chuck continued. "I honestly wasn't planning on coming back. Ever! But when I saw Blair again, and then found out I had a son, I had to come back. I loved her too much to stay away again," he defended.

But then Chuck looked sternly at Dan. "But none of this is any of your business and has absolutely nothing to do with my son," he growled. "If you hate me, that's fine. But don't you dare ever take it out on my kid again. He's just a little boy!" he said as he slammed Dan into the wall again.

"Who acts just like his father," Dan sneered.

Chuck had had enough. "Fuck you!" he shouted and he quickly pounded three consecutive shots into Dan's face.

Dan slid down onto the floor, clutching his broken face. This was definitely not the same Chuck he remembered from a few years ago!

"Kapow!" shrieked Chase with delight as he jumped up and down. "To the moon, Alice. To the moon!" he cheered.

Chuck looked at his son and continued out the door with Blair. He cringed thinking what violence he had just exposed the little guy to. He knew Blair would likely give him a lecture once they got home.

And of course, he was right. Blair ripped a strip off of him but then wrapped her arms around him and thanked him for defending their child and putting Dan in his place.

**XOXO**

Despite Serena's begging, Chuck refused to allow Dan back into work at Bass Industries. The pathetic loser had pushed him too far and was costing the company unnecessary money. Chuck heard he had finally gotten a job working in a used book store, but was looking for something that paid more than minimum wage. In the meantime, he was becoming like his father, financially dependent on a woman.

For the next few weeks, Chuck settled at the company and Blair trained the temporary housekeeper, Dorota's middle-aged, maiden aunt from Poland. Once Blair was comfortable with the woman, she returned part time to Bass Industries to continue as CEO for the company.

As the autumn days grew shorter, Eric became more of a common figure in their home and continued bonding with Chase. As he had promised, the young man often accompanied the Chase to his soccer games, often along with Chuck.

Chase also began swimming lessons and was a natural. Eric often came with Blair to these as well. The child was amazing to watch in the water. It seemed as though the Chase had indeed inherited Herald Waldorf's athletic gene.

And as Eric had speculated, once Chase was involved in an athletic routine to channel his energy, he got into far less trouble than before. He still had a fascination with dinosaurs and toilets, as well as the potted plants in the living room. He made Dorota's aunt grateful she had remained a spinster and had been childless. To Dorota the woman described Chuck as 'the best birth control ever'!

It was just before Thanksgiving when Dorota came back to work, bringing her new son with her. Chase was fascinated by the mewling infant, but the baby terrified Chuck. Blair insisted he practise holding Jakob in preparation for their baby, which was due that spring.

He soon became more confident in handling the child, and even attempted a couple of diaper changes. "It's beyond me how something that small can shit that much!" he exclaimed in both amazement and disgust.

Chase plugged his nose and laughed at his father's reaction to the poopy diaper. "You're funny Papa," he told him. "But he sure does stink!" he agreed.

Soon Blair's baby bump became obvious. Chase was mesmerised. "Am I gonna get a brother like Anna?" Chase asked hopefully as he ran his hand over Blair's tummy to feel the baby kicking.

"Maybe a brother, or maybe a sister," Blair told him.

Chase nodded. "I'd like a sister ok, too," he said. He lay his head down on Blair's lap and talked to her stomach the way he had seen Chuck do.

"Hello in there baby," he said as he patted her tummy. "I'm your big brother. My name's Chase. When you're borned we're gunna be able to play together and I'll help Papa change your diaper too. And then when you're bigger an' you don't pee at night. You can lose you diapers and wear boxers like me an' Papa do."

Blair rubbed the top of her son's head. As he was growing he looked more and more like his father every day.

Chuck was both nervous and excited about their impending baby. He had asked Blair not to find out what the sex of it would be. He wanted the surprise, but secretly hoped for a daughter who would look just like her mother.

One night when they were laying in bed, Chuck settled his hand on Blair's belly, stroking it gently. He felt a soft flickering from beneath her skin under his hand. He stopped stroking it and turned to face Blair. I feel it moving, he said as his eyes welled up. "I can't believe I missed this with Chase," he said with regret. The pregnancy became real for him that moment. There was actual life developing inside of her, a living product of their love!

He stroked the side of her cheek and was overwhelmed with a sense of love. "Thank you," he told her as he brought her close to him and captured her mouth in a soft kiss.

She pulled slightly back and looked at him. "For what?" she asked.

"For giving me another chance, for giving me children, for loving me," he replied as he pulled her back to him again. "You're everything to me," he told her.

"I do love you," Blair agreed. "And I'm so happy that you came back to us. You don't belong on the other side of the world. You belong here, with us."

"I'll never leave again," he promised.

"Never?" she asked as she leaned in to kiss him again.

"Never," he reassured her. Chuck burrowed his face in the valley of her breasts and kissed the space over her heart. He kissed his way up to her neck and nuzzled along until he came to the space just under her ear. "I love you," he whispered.

Blair ran her hands up and down his back, finally settling on his bum. She drew him against her and moaned softly when she felt him hard against her. "Chuck!" she moaned when at last he entered her, making her feel complete.

Later, when they lay together satisfied, but exhausted, Chuck wrapped his arms around her, tucked his head under her curls and laid his lips against the soft curve of her neck. Holding her like this reassured it for him. This was where he belonged. He was home.

**XOXO**

**A/N:** Well this Chuck knows to whom he belongs… the one on the show has obviously lost sight of that.

I thought I would end it there, but feel that some people might want to know about the baby…. If there is interest in that, I will do an epilogue.


	21. Chapter 21 Epilogue

**Epilogue….**

**A/N:** To all of those people who now hate my work because I turned Dan into a nasty prick in this story and I killed poor dear Jenny…. Pffftttttttt!... T.F.B !

Ok, you guys asked for a birth, so a birth you're going to get!

**XOXO**

Cuddling Blair was not an easy task these days, Chuck thought. She found it difficult to get comfortable and therefore tossed and turned most of the night. The active life growing inside of her gave her no rest. To Chuck it was like there was an octopus inside of her.

On this particular night, Blair was finding it even more difficult to sleep than usual. She wasn't due for another week, so she wasn't too worried. With Chase she had gone into labour a few days late.

But when she turned over for the umpteenth time that night, her water broke with a gush that soaked the bed.

Chuck sat up with a lurch. "What. The. Hell!" he screeched.

"I think my water just broke," she told him.

Chuck turned around and stared at Blair. And then it hit him. Their child was coming! His face drained completely of color. Oh shit!

Chuck jumped out of bed and grabbed Blair's suitcase from the closet. He looked back to the bed to see Blair sitting peacefully with a grin on her face.

"What are you still sitting there for?" he asked in alarm. "The baby's coming!"

Blair laughed at the look of sheer panic on his face. "It isn't coming this second," she told him. "And I need to have a shower first. I am soaked!" She held up her hands towards Chuck to give him the hint. She needed help getting off the bed.

He put the suitcase down and walked over to the side of the bed. He reached out to her and pulled her gently up. When he felt her feet were stable, he let go and ran his fingers through his hair. He swallowed the lump in his throat as she wobbled to the bathroom. "Are you sure you should be doing that?" he asked.

Blair turned around and giggled. "Chuck, we have plenty of time," she reassured him. "Why don't you come in and help me?"

He hesitated for a minute. What if she delivered the child in the shower, he thought in alarm. "I…, I don't know if I should."

"Pleeeease, Chuck," she begged. "Then you can wash my back for me."

He swallowed another lump and nodded as he followed her into the bathroom and turned on the water for them. He got in first and then helped her in too. "Careful," he warned as she stepped along side him. He needed to be her eyes because she hadn't been able to see her feet lately.

He grabbed the soap and a luffa and started washing her, rolling the sponge gently over her protruding stomach. Blair rested her head against his chest for a moment while he washed her. He stopped for a second. "You belly is as hard as a rock!" He exclaimed.

"That's because I just had a contraction, "she told him.

"You're having contractions?" he cried nervously. "Fuck, Blair. We need to go to the hospital!"

"The contractions aren't coming very fast, Chuck," she laughed. "They suggest I come in when they are strong, steady and five minutes apart. We have hours to go. I promise. So just relax, all right?"

He nodded his head and continued to wash her, until she was feeling clean. Blair finally took a cloth and washed her face, then her crotch. Chuck almost hurled when he saw blood.

"You're bleeding!" he cried. "Blair, what do we do?"

"That's just part of the mucus plug, silly," she informed him. "It's normal. So we continue as we are doing." Blair grabbed the shampoo and washed and conditioned her hair before getting out. "You should wash too, Chuck. We could be in the hospital for hours."

Chuck was almost in a state of shock. He was looking kind of green.

Blair grabbed the luffa and started to wash him. He began to relax as she ran her hands along his body. Finally he was coherent enough to wash his hair and finish the shower.

When she was dried, Blair slipped on a clean night gown and stripped the wet sheets off of their bed. She was grateful for the mattress pad that Dorota had insisted she use to protect the mattress. She put on clean linen and crawled back into bed and waited for Chuck.

When Chuck had dried and shaved, he came out expecting to get dressed and leave right away. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Blair back in bed, asleep. He hoped she knew what she was doing. He slipped out of the bedroom and put a call into Dorota, explaining that Blair was in labour, but had gone back to bed.

Dorota laughed at him and told him she'd be there at 7:00 am, her usual time. Then she told him to go and relax, it would likely be the most sleep he'd have for a long, long time.

Chuck curled back up around Blair and burrowed his head into her curls. He wrapped an arm around her stomach and tried to relax. He startled every time a light contraction hit and wondered how Blair could sleep through that. He didn't realise that since her water had broken, the pressure had decreased on her belly and she was more comfortable than she'd been in awhile. Finally Chuck drifted off to sleep.

He awoke several hours later when he heard her moaning. He sat up quickly and looked at her. She was clenching her teeth together and breathing deeply.

"Chuck, I think we should get to the hospital," she told him.

"How fast are your contractions coming?" he asked as he got out of bed to help her up.

"About every three minutes," she replied.

"I thought you said we had to go to the hospital when they were five minutes apart!" he cried.

"Well, I didn't think they were strong enough and I didn't think they were coming very regular," she defended. "But then that changed really quickly."

She slipped off her nightgown and pulled a maternity dress over her head. She paused halfway into the bathroom as another large contraction hit. His one took her breath away. "Call for the limo Chuck," she stated between pants. "Is Dorota here?" She waddled into the bathroom, brushed her hair, washed, and scrubbed her teeth without waiting for an answer.

As she walked out of the bathroom, another one hit! This time she grabbed the door frame and doubled over. "Chuck!" she called. "I think we better hurry!"

Chuck bounded up the stairs. He took one look at her and almost passed out. "Oh my God!" he said.

He grabbed her by the arm and escorted her down the stairs into the elevator.

Dorota's eyes widened as she watched Chuck escort her down the stairs. "Better hurry, Mr. Chuck!" she said as he pressed the elevator button.

By the time they hit the lobby, Blair had had another one. This time she'd squeezed Chuck's hand so tight, he thought she'd broken it.

"Oh God," she cried when another one hit in the limo. "I hope we make it!"

Chuck yelled at Arthur to get his ass moving unless he wanted to deliver the child in the back of the limo himself. The terrified man stepped on the gas and was soon weaving in and out of traffic like something out of a Mario Cart game!

By the time they made the hospital, Chuck felt like he'd aged fifty years. He was sure something was wrong with Blair and the baby. Every contraction seemed to get worse! She was almost whimpering when they finally got her into the wheel chair and loaded her into labour and delivery ward. He didn't know she was trying so hard not to push, but that child's head was starting to crown.

Chuck did a double take when they took her straight to delivery.

"Are you feeling the urge to push, Blair?" The nurse asked her.

"For the last ten minutes or so now," she confessed.

Chuck blanched. That meant it was coming now!

They slid Blair onto the delivery table, slipped off her panties and got her legs into position. "She's crowning," the nurse called. "Get the doctor in here now!"

Chuck swayed a moment and held onto the side of her bed. The nurse lowered a mirror so Blair could watch the delivery. He blanched when he saw the bulge as the head tried to work its way out. "Oh my God!" he screeched as he watched that bulge grow even larger. "Just how the hell are you doing that?"

"Can I push?" she yelled to the nurse, ignoring Chuck.

"On the next contraction," she was told.

Chuck took her hand and stared in disbelief as Blair screamed and began to push on the next contraction. He almost passed out when the baby's head finally popped out, tearing her slightly.

"Fuck!" he yelled. "I'm so sorry, Blair," he cried.

"I'll help you deliver, Blair," the nurse told her. The doctor won't make it on time. The next contraction should do it. So push hard," the nurse told her. "And the baby will be out."

Blair nodded. When the next contraction hit, she pushed and screamed once more as the nurse helped deliver the child's shoulders and body through her narrow opening.

Chuck was stunned. He stared at the child as the nurse held it up by the feet and suctioned the fluid out of its nose and mouth. "Looks like you have a healthy son, Mr. Waldorf." the nurse announced.

Mr. Walforf! He thought in alarm as he looked at her in disgust. Was she joking?

The infant started wailing and the nurse put him on Blair's chest.

"Oh Chuck, he's beautiful!" Blair sobbed as she caressed his little back.

Chuck sat on a stool near Blair's head and stared at his new son in disbelief. "I can't believe you just did that," Chuck sobbed. He leaned in to kiss Blair and ran his hand over his infant. "He's perfect," he said through his tears.

"You mean we did this, Chuck. We both made him," she smiled and she lifted her head to kiss him. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you, so much," he replied. "I…., I'm just so overwhelmed right now," he cried.

When they began to deliver Blair's placenta, Chuck had to leave the room. Never, ever did he want to see the likes of something like that again! Instead he placed the calls to Dorota, Herald Waldorf, Lily, Serena, and Eric. He then texted a note to Gossip Girl about the birth of their second son, Benjamin Bartholomew Bass. After all of that was done he called London and spoke to Jared Dalton.

"Well congratulations, Chuck," Jared said. "I'm happy for you, son."

"We'd like to invite you out to come and see us," Chuck said. "You're like family to me."

"I'd be delighted to," Jared replied. He had been out of the hospital for several months and was almost finished with his physiotherapy. "Maybe in the summer if that works with you," he suggested.

Chuck was pleased. The Charming Group of hotels had continued to prosper under William's lead and now that Jared was back, things were progressing as planned with their international expansion.

After Chuck hung up he headed back to sit with Blair as they finished cleaning her up and stitched up her tear. He grimaced.

"It's not painful after they freeze it, Chuck," Blair told him with a laugh. "And it'll heal soon enough," she assured him.

A little while later Eric was the first one to show up to congratulate the couple. He had been with Blair for her first son's birth and would never forget how overwhelming an experience it was. He hugged both new parents and was more than happy to sit and hold the new baby. "He's even bigger than Chase was!" Eric commented as he held his new nephew. "And he sure looks like Chuck!" he added with a grin.

A little while later Dorota brought in Chase to see his parents and his new brother. The little boy was ecstatic. "I brunged him some dinosaurs!" Chase announced proudly as he whipped out two of them from his jacket pocket. He was only too willing to share his favourite toys with his new brother.

He leaned in to kiss the baby and then hugged his mother. "Thank-you Momma. I knowed you were gettin' me a brother," he whispered into her ear. "I just knowed it."

'He is beautiful baby, Miss Blair," Dorota said as she took her turn at holding him. "He looks just like Mr. Chase did when he was born," she commented. And then she scowled. "Oh goodness! I wonder if he be like his older brother when he grows!" she said anxiously. She couldn't fathom having two mini Chucks running around the house!

Chuck laughed. "I guess the apples don't fall far from the tree, do they!" he said to Dorota as he swung Chase up onto his shoulders.

**XOXO**

A couple of days later, Blair and the baby were discharged home. Chuck took a week of work to help Blair get settled and as she started to get her strength back.

That night Blair sat up in her bed and nursed their child before putting him down for the night. Her milk had come in and Benjamin had a hardy appetite. Chuck lay beside her and stared at her in wonder as she nursed the baby. Here was the most amazing woman in the world feeding their child with her body. It was the most beautiful sight in the world to him. He swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat.

He reached over and stroked his son's head as he nursed, and then looked up at Blair. "Marry me?" he asked.

Blair looked at him and smiled. She nodded her head slightly and leaned over to kiss him gently on the mouth. "Ok," she replied simply.

A few days later Chuck took Blair out to pick out rings. She had been wearing his old engagement ring around her neck again, and would have been happy enough with it, but Chuck insisted on a new one, for a new beginning. After shopping he had Arthur pull them up to a gorgeous Brownstone.

"Who lives here?" Blair asked as she stepped out of the limo and went with Chuck to the front door.

He pulled out a key and unlocked the front door. "We do," he told her sheepishly. "We do if you like it, that is."

The townhouse was absolutely gorgeous! There was a lovely courtyard in the back for the boys to play in and plenty of space for a growing family. There was even a lovely three bedroom attic apartment for Dorota and Vanya if they wanted it. It was perfect for all of them.

Blair wrapped her arms around Chuck's neck. "It's wonderful!" she told him. She looked at him with tears in her eyes. She was so unbelievably happy. "I love you so much," she told him again as she kissed him on the mouth.

"I'll get the decorators in to remodel it before we move in this summer," he said. "After the wedding," he added with a grin. He circled his arms around her waist and burrowed his face under her curls, against her neck. He breathed in her scent and brushed his lips against her skin. "I love you too," he said. He was pleased she loved the house as much as he did. It would be a wonderful family home for them to raise their family.

As they headed back to the Waldorf penthouse, Chuck sat with his hand on Blair's thigh as she rested. He contemplated his life. He'd run away four years ago after ruining the best thing to have ever come along in his life. And still Blair had given herself to him in every possible way, along with two beautiful sons. He thought about how many times she had saved him over the years. She had always been there for him, despite his greatest efforts to discourage her. 'I will stand by you through anything,' she had told him years ago, and she had meant it. She had stood by him despite the worst that he'd done and the darkest thoughts he'd had, just as she had promised.

He loved her. Plain and simple, he loved her. And he would do everything in his power to make sure that she had the life she deserved for the rest of her life.

**XOXO**

Fin.

**A/N:** So we have a fluffy ending… as always in my stories. Final reviews are always appreciated.

I am stating to write my next story… It will be a Chair romance/ Survival story (kind of like Displaced,) based on the plot of the book/ film The Blue Lagoon….. If you think you might like it, you can subscribe to me as an author or watch for it to come out.


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